Living Legends
by Alida-Fruit
Summary: Post ROTK. When an accident places Legolas in the hands of some crazed villagers who think him part of a prophecy, it is up to Gimli to get him out of trouble. Complete.
1. Prologue: Of Travelling Companions

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Living Legends

Co-Authored by: eLLe & Alida-Fruit ****

Setting: Post ROTK

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"Let us make a bargain – if we both return safe out of the perils that await us, we will journey for a while together. You shall visit Fangorn with me, and then I will come with you to see Helm's Deep."

"That would not be the way of return that I should choose," said Gimli. "But I will endure Fangorn, if I have your promise to come back to the caves and share their wonder with me."

"You have my promise," said Legolas.

~ 'The Road To Isengard', The Two Towers

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Summary: Post ROTK. When an accident places Legolas in the hands of some crazed villagers who think him part of a prophecy, it is up to Gimli to get him out of trouble.

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Prologue: Of Travelling Companions & Obstacles

Legolas let Arod prance, simply happy to give the horse free reign and allow him the joy that came with sending hundreds of dandelion seeds flying into the spring breeze. He laughed as the horse twisted, turning first one way and then the another, whinnying his delight with the game he played to which there were no rules. Soon the air was flooded with the ghostly stocks of seeds, leaving both Legolas' and Arod's own hair crowned with them.

A loud humph stopped the frolicking pair, making them halt in mid motion to look up with started, somewhat sheepish expressions upon their faces. The dwarf, from who the sound had originated, stood with his arms folded stiffly over his chest, struggling to keep a disapproving expression upon his face.

With a twitching nose and upper lip, the dwarf spoke. "Do you know that the sun has only _just_ risen?" he stated imperiously.

Legolas blinked, and although the elf might not have noticed it, the dwarf certainly marked the striking similarity as Arod mirrored the action, snorting irritably at the dwarf for having interrupted them. "The fact did not go unnoticed, for there sits the sun," the elf replied loftily, completely unfazed at the stern tone in which Gimli spoke.

"Most people, or pardon me," the dwarf owned, "most _normal_ people still enjoy the act of sleeping at such a time. Myself included, until your racket woke me," he added when he did not receive a reaction he considered acceptable.

The corners of the elf's mouth twitched. "Arod did not desire sleep. He wanted to play," he said innocently.

"Demon beast!" the dwarf cursed. "That thing has the brains of a pigeon!" Arod made a definite snort of protest at this remark, but the dwarf hurled forward, ignoring the objection. "I would not expect it to have the decency to know what hours are appropriate for sleep, but what is your excuse, Master Elf, or do you claim the same impairment as that beast of yours?" The inquiry was made with a single brow raised imperiously.

The smallest of grins flickered across Legolas face before it returned to its normal inscrutable self. He cleared his throat, urging Arod to walk forward so that the duo was now circling the dwarf in a fashion similar to that employed by a vulture when scavenging for meat.

"Master Dwarf," he started, keeping his voice dogmatic, "I think I speak for both myself and Arod when I say we are both tremendously sorry for depriving you of your much needed rest. We both realize that you are weary from the excessive amounts of energy you have been required to expend in your valiant attempts to keep up with us. I imagine that these past few days of strenuous travel have taken a toll upon you."

The dwarf snorted, as his head turned rapidly to and fro trying to track Legolas' own movements. "Black be the day that a dwarf would have problems keeping pace with an elf," he scoffed lightly.

"You truly must be in need of rest, for surely even you can see the day is bright and hardly black, for that was your original complaint, was it not?" Legolas said managing to keep his face dead-panned.

"You twist my words, Master Elf," Gimli said beginning to sound flustered with the combination of Legolas' movements and verbal warfare. He soon gave up his pretense of nonchalance and began twisting his body to try and keep both of his eyes upon the elf.

"Ah, you accuse me unjustly. I merely respond to what it is you say. If your words are not to your liking then I would suggest you choose them more carefully," Legolas said, his mirth now evident and a youthful smile breaking across his face.

"Humph! It is too early to deal with your tongue! Why ever did I agree to travel with you?" Gimli grumbled as he unfolded his arms to place his hands irritably upon his hips.

Legolas, taking pity upon his friends state, and realizing with a certain degree of smugness that if he were to continue Gimli would most likely fall over due to dizziness, slowed Arod until the horse stood still. "You choose to travel with me for my lively personality, my quick wit and repartee, and of course my enviable patience when it comes to people, or in this case dwarves, who suffer from mood swings in the morning," Legolas said, no longer trying to hide his smile or his gales of silvery laughter. "Besides, you gave your word that we would explore the wonders of Fangorn together, and I trust you to keep it."

The dwarf stood stubbornly still for a long moment, his beard and moustache twitching before he too broke out into laughter, his deep voice joining the light one of his companion. "Ah, elf! Come, help me pack up our camp if you and the horse are quite finished," he barked lightly, turning to go back to where their sleeping things were still laid out.

Legolas' fair face broke out into an impish smile, and in a sudden rush he urged Arod forward quickly, the sudden movement startling Gimli. Acting quickly upon the offered opportunity, Legolas knocked the dwarf off of his feet as he passed. He continued to laugh as Gimli's curses followed him all that way back to their camp.

~*~

The unusual duo road at a leisurely pace through the speckled trees, and the animals that marked their passing did so with a quiet, polite sort of interest before returning to their creaturely pursuits. The day was proving to be a fine one, with a slight breeze that was tainted with the smell of wild blossoms and a clear sky smeared with coral clouds. 

Legolas let his eyes slip close as he inhaled deeply, basking in the radiance of the sun and letting it soak into his very being.

"If you insist on me riding this demon with you then I at least insist you keep your eyes open while steering it!" Gimli's deep voice exclaimed indignantly, startling Legolas from his contemplation with a small sigh of regret.

Slowly letting his eyes drift open, the elf smiled. "Now Gimli, although you deny it, Arod here knows where to go. I do little in the way of steering him, as you put it. You may feel safe while upon him," Legolas reassured gently. Although it was never discussed, Legolas did know, or sensed more then anything, that Gimli was slightly fearful of being up upon the horse's back, and the elf would never dream of making light of that apprehension. With time, Legolas felt that the dwarf would overcome it, given good experiences. The elf silently had vowed to see it done.

"I will never understand how you can place such confidence upon this pack-mule," Gimli grumbled, and in return for his comment he felt the sudden stinging blow of a horse's tail upon his back, which was only clad in a thin shirt due to the heat, as the animal snapped it upwards. Grumbling some other unseemly comments under his breath the dwarf tightened his hold upon the elf's waist.

It was a sudden cry from beyond a hill crest that silenced the pair and lead them to draw their mount to a halt. The sound had carried a degree of terror in it that did not go unmarked by either elf or dwarf and the two did not even need to discuss their actions before Legolas urged Arod off of the path and towards the source of the sound.

They breached the hill's peak but a heart beat later, Legolas all ready having pulled his bow ready with an arrow notched. The scene that greeted them made both warriors stiffen. Below them, a group of ruffians reigned havoc upon obvious peasant people, the scattered remains of a picnic strewn across the rippling grasses. Children cried out, running in various directions in a chaotic attempt to flee the area, while the adults attempted to fend off their attackers. They were obviously seriously under prepared for what they faced and already several bodies, stained crimson with blood, littered the ground.

Legolas did not hesitate long and soon one of his white fletched arrows flew straight, its target striking true. Arod needed little urging, as the white steed flew forward on thundering hooves into the fray. The elf was only vaguely aware of Gimli slipping from the horse's back as they slowed before he was taking out another of the bandits. 

For their part the raiders seemed somewhat shocked by the sudden arrival of the elf and dwarf. Bravely taking on a few picnicking families was one thing, but to actually pit their skill against trained warriors was another. Of the band of about twenty, three or four were quick to abandon their fellows and race to the safety of the forests.

The rest rose to the challenge, quickly trying to overwhelm the new comers by sheer numbers, though Legolas took out many with his bow before they could get near enough. Yet despite his skill, Legolas soon found himself engulfed by a flood of hardened faces, with blackened eyes. Shouldering his bow in a quick graceful movement, the elf unsheathed his daggers, bringing them to bear quickly and sending one man reeling, blood spurting from his face. A dark haired man sporting yellowed crooked teeth grinned up at Legolas sinisterly and before Legolas fully had time to process what the man's purpose was he drove a dagger into Arod's side.

The horse reared violently with Legolas trying to vainly cling on, but the mount was in too much pain, its motions jerky as a result. Legolas fell roughly to the ground, his head slamming back forcefully onto a rock, which was partially buried in the ground. With eyes swirling in pain and with lights dancing across his sight, he barely had time to register the world around him. It was only acting on instinct that saved him as he curled up into a ball, narrowly avoiding Arod's thrashing hooves. The action proved to be too slow however and one of the horses feet came down roughly upon Legolas arm, wrenching a cry of pain from the elf in the process.

Legolas soon lost track of Arod as a hand roughly seized him by his hair, pulling him into a sitting position, making his head spin more wildly and bile rise to burn his throat. As his vision cleared he found his face but an inch away from the very man who had injured Arod. A foul puff of air brushed his cheeks, as yellow teeth grinded together into a sadistic smile.

"I'm gonna mes'up that perdy face of yars," he hissed in a thick, uneducated accent, waving his bloodied knife underneath Legolas nose, to brush it lightly against the elf lips, leaving a smeared crimson essence in its wake.

Legolas felt himself recoil in disgust and, pulling himself from the daze of pain he was in, he kicked out, catching his opponent in the thigh before he shuffled awkwardly backwards on his elbows. The man uttered a few muffled curses as he clutched at his leg in agony.

"Yar gonna regret that, boi," he snapped threatening, once again approaching the downed elf.

Legolas hissed air in through his teeth, his right arm completely refusing to obey his near frantic commands. Rising fluidly, despite his handicap, he clutched one of his ivory handled blades in his good hand, while cradling his injured limb against his stomach. 

"Caror!" Another voice flared to life, and the greasy man slowed in his approach to look at the speaker. "This is getting too costly! Come!" Snarling viciously, the man, Caror, glared one final time in Legolas's direction before turning and fleeing with his remaining companions.

The elf blinked in vague surprise as he slumped forwards to the ground once again. As the adrenaline rush slowly subsided, weariness and fatigue seized him, leaving the world spinning chaotically around him in a mesh of colours and voices.

For one brief moment a single face swam into focus; an elderly man with a silvery beard cropped short to a roughly tanned, squarish face looking at him intensely. The two's eyes locked momentarily and Legolas saw the brown eyes widen in shock but that expression soon melted away into euphoria.

"You have finally come," he said in a grizzly voice, but the world was already darkening around the elf, and he had no time to ask the man what he meant, before unconsciousness claimed him...


	2. Chapter 1: Unfolding Prophesies

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Hello Everyone and thanks to those of you who reviewed the last chapter. I have personal notes for you at the bottom! (^_^)

I forgot to include a disclaimer initially so I will put one in here now: We don't own anything Tolkien related… but I am sure you all already knew that, lol.

For those of you who wanted to know when I am going to update 'Fading Hope' I ask for patience. I am having a bit of trouble writing the next chapter but I am by no means abandoning the story.

Without further ado – here is the next chapter….

Chapter #1 ~ Of Unfolding Prophesies

Gimli sat in the center of the Speaking Forest, the town's pub, surrounded by the grinning faces of enthusiastic villagers. In front of the dwarf sat a variety of half-filled drinks; bubbling golden liquid coated with a foamy froth, within their clipped clay mugs. The air was abuzz with zealous offers to pay for more rounds, as the villagers, with all eagerness, tried to repay the dwarf for his aid. Gimli leaned back contentedly, reaching for his pipe as he was asked once again to recount the tale of his heroic rescue.

For the dwarf's part the attention was truly welcomed. He basked in the praise he was receiving; allowing a rather goofy grin to spread across his face, though his relaxed attitude was probably assisted by the amount of ale he had consumed. Still, the innocent excitement of these people was contagious and Gimli found himself enjoying their company more and more.

He only wished Legolas were here to enjoy it with him. 

The elf had come off the worst for the fight. He had received a nasty cut to the back of his head and one of his arms was broken. Yet the healers had, with all good nature, assured the dwarf that the elf would heal and so it was only after he was satisfied with those assurances that he had allowed himself to be led to the pub, where he now celebrated contentedly.

Yet the liquor was starting to make him feel sleepy and sluggish and with these feelings came a desire to return once again to Legolas' bedside to keep watch over his friend. So, with a slightly stumbling, jerky motion, the dwarf rose, deferring the moans of disappointment and requests to remain with a small dismissive hand gesture.

"No, no, my friends. This dwarf knows his limits," he managed to stammer out. "I've got to check on the elf," he explained, completely missing the dreamy expressions that covered the room upon hearing this.

"Ah, yes. Return to your service, we shall not detain you," someone called out, though Gimli did not mark him, instead concentrating on placing one foot in front of the other as he made his way to the door.

He stumbled out of the room, into the fresh air a moment later. It was soothing to suddenly be hit by the air's cold caress after the rather stifling, stagnant heat of the pub. The dwarf blinked rapidly, trying to coax his eyes to remain open. He felt rather surprised by how effected by the drink he was. It was obviously more potent then what he was accustomed to and he silently cursed his over indulgence of the stuff.

Biting back a belch he stumbled forward, already familiar enough with the town's layout to bring him back to the house Legolas had originally been brought to. Yet frowning, he realized there was one other thing he needed to see to before he could go to the elf. Sighing and grumbling under his breath he heaved himself forward on heavy limbs.

"Lad," he called out, seeing a young boy perched on a porch star gazing, "show me to where you keep your horses if you would be so kind."

The spindly youth slipped from his perch and approached the dwarf with wide, disbelieving eyes. "You address me? Talk to me?" he stammered out, his voice a squeaky tenor due to his obvious excitement.

"Yes, boy," Gimli said, trying to not sound to impatient, but his head was starting to pound and all he really wanted to do was find somewhere to sleep.

"Oh! Thank-you! Thank-you! To have chosen me! Such an honour!" the boy cried out, his lanky frame quivering with jubilance. He started forward quickly in an attempt to comply and managed to trip into the dirt in his haste.

Gimli started forward in concern, reaching out to help the boy back onto his feet but the youth proved to be quick and nimble; springing to his feet with surprising speed, his face smudged with dirt and red with embarrassment. He shot Gimli an apologetic look before beaconing wildly, "This way, Master! Just follow me! I will show you! Yep, just over here."

Gimli vaguely wondered, as he watched in a dumb-founded stupor, whether the boy would continue to repeat himself whenever he spoke. He then set off after the boy, keeping close enough so that he might be able to steady the youth should it look like the child would fall again.

"What is your name, boy?" the dwarf inquired.

"Rulif," the lad replied, his matted blond hair sticking up in various directions, bobbing with his constant energized and erratic movements.

"Ah," the dwarf said still eyeing the boy uncertainly. Gimli placed him at around fifteen years old, obviously going through that awkward stage where he was growing too quickly.

"There!" the boy cried, pointing to a paddock, his face breaking into a chip-toothed grin as he completed his task. "Right there!"

"Well, here you are, Rulif, for your troubles," Gimli said gratefully, passing the boy a copper coin. The boy looked at the offering with wide eyes, accepting the coin in awed silence. Rulif then dropped to the ground, kissing the soil at Gimli's feet, much to the dwarf's astonishment, who shuffled backwards a few steps. "Now, none of that," Gimli grumbled in embarrassment.

"I won't forget your kindness, Master. No, I most certainly will not forget!"

With that the boy backed away, his eyes still locked on Gimli, before turning quickly, stumbling to the ground once again, rising and tearing back off in the direction of his home. The dwarf stared after the departed child for a long moment, still completely unsure what to make of the encounter.

Shaking his head, Gimli turned his attention back to the enclosed pen. He approached the rails stiffly, suddenly remembering his headache, to look into it hesitantly, still somewhat unsure of why he even felt the need to have come here in the first place.

Arod lay there calmly, though the horse raised his head when Gimli peered in. The horse had been treated with reverence and now rested comfortably as he recovered from his injury. Snorting slightly, the horse gazed at Gimli disdainfully, the dwarf reciprocating the look.

"Well, you better heal quickly you over-sized pigeon. The elf will want you to get better," Gimli muttered to break the awkward silence that seemed to have settled over them. He glanced quickly around to make sure no one had overheard or seen the interaction though. The last thing he needed was to have others know he was talking to a horse.

Arod snorted irritably, completely insulted at being referred to as a bird. The complete ire in the horse's eyes made the dwarf laugh lightly. "You are too much like your rider," he scolded lightly. Gimli reached through the wooden rails to hesitantly pat the horse rather clumsily upon the nose although, for a moment, he thought the horse might bite him for engaging in the contact, no such retaliation occurred.

"Just get well," he mumbled, before turning with a shake of his head. _A dwarf, talking to a horse._ _This is the elf's fault_, Gimli thought irritably. _Rubbing off his silly elven ways upon me!_ _Humph._

With a final mumbled complaint Gimli started to shuffle off in search of Legolas and a bed.

~*~

Legolas slowly became aware of his body once again. First came the knowledge that his head was pounding, and his body was pulsating with discomfort. It was decidedly an unpleasant way of returning to the conscious realm. Secondly came the intense and almost overpowering urge to be sick, yet, swallowing thickly, he refused to embarrass himself by giving into the impulse.

Blinking watery eyes, Legolas slowly allowed the world around him to come into focus. He felt rather startled to find himself staring into the wide brown eyes of a dusty, olive-toned face. Trying to pull back in shock served to bang his already tender head against the slate he lay upon, his eyes snapping shut once again in pain.

"Easy there," said a deep voice, soothing and almost hypnotic in tone. "Do not move so hastily. It was quite the blow you took to your head." A hand then, calloused and rough palmed, gently stroked the side of his face to settle on his brow. It was a gentle action, yet Legolas felt almost inclined to pull away.

"Lie still," the voice commanded once again, as if sensing the elf's desire to break away. "I will not harm you, though I doubt I could. My name is Addrodoc and I am both a healer and a priest here." The roughened hand moved with deceptive tenderness from Legolas' face down the side of his neck til it reached his arm. The sudden contact made Legolas wince, as fresh pain shot throughout his body.

"I have set this. The break itself was clean enough," Addrodoc continued soothingly. "It should heal well. You will be perfect once again shortly."

Legolas slowly forced his eyes open to examine the man who was leaning over him. It was the same face who he had seen before he had blacked out.

Legolas felt his voice rise in his throat; questions to ask, answers to demand trying to emerge all at once. Yet all he could feel was the thick, foul bile that burned at his throat threatening to spill over his pale lips and so he kept silent, eyeing the stranger. 

If Addrodoc noticed the elf's discomfort, he said nothing, instead busying himself with organizing his utensils and other supplies. After several long moments of silence Legolas could not take it any longer. "Where?" he finally managed to croak out. His voice sounded hollow and alien to his ears. 

Addrodoc turned to face him, and smiled crookedly. "My lord, you are being cared for at the most sacred place of our village. Some call it the temple, some the sept, or for others, the shrine." Addrodoc placed a small cup to Legolas' lips and the elf found himself drinking reflexively, even though his mind chastised him to be more cautious of this stranger. "But it really has no name. It is a place of worship and reverence to our gods." 

Why had he been brought here? To a sacred temple? 

"Wh.." Legoals could not finish the question and Addrodoc pressed more of the cool liquid to his lips. The elderly man looked down upon the elf seriously, frowning. "You must rest, and regain your strength. You will be well in a few days if you allow yourself to heal now." 

Legolas found himself nodding in agreement, his eyes already half closed. A sudden thought hit him and he spat out the word before sleep over took him, "Gimli?"

Addrodoc shrugged. "Your servant is being well cared for." Legolas felt a small, impish smile blossom upon his lips. _Servant?_ Gimli would be most displeased to hear that he was being called the elf's servant, though Legolas himself felt rather intrigued by the idea. 

He allowed himself to drift off into the realms of elven dream's then, content in the knowledge that his friend was safe and that he would recover. His last thoughts were of the sweet taste that lingered in his mouth from the drink he had been given...

~*~

Gimli stumbled around the room feeling his frustrations mounting. He _had_ managed to find the building Legolas had been _originally_ taken too, but it now seemed as though the elf had been moved elsewhere. He had tried to get where that new location was from the remaining healer, but the man seemed intent upon evading the question, much to Gimli's annoyance. 

His head was pounding, his eyes watering begging for a chance to rest and the whole of his body felt leaden, yet Gimli could not, in all good consciousness, rest until he had verified the safety of his friend.

"I _know_ he is no longer here! Where is it he rests _now_?" Gimli said very slowly, pronouncing each syllable forcefully.

The young man in front of him squirmed. "Not here, that is correct," he responded sheepishly, his eyes searching the floor with seemingly great interest.

Gimli rubbed his brow, grinding his teeth together and resisting the un-dwarfish urge to scream. He did not understand how this man could seemingly remain so ignorant of the question he was asked. Gimli himself was not so drunk as to not be able to speak coherently, though he would not know it from this conversation.

When the pair had spoken earlier over the elf's prognoses the man, Fredren, had seemed articulate and bright enough. His present behaviour seemed at complete odds to the helpful being he had been mere hours ago.

Gimli slumped dejectedly into a chair, eyeing his opponent in a calculating and speculative fashion. If he wanted to discover where the elf was he was going to have to try a different tactic, for the one he employed at present was not proving to be terribly effective. Yet, the dwarf was not of a subtle nature; he simply lacked that trait in his identity and he was not entirely sure how to go about tricking the answer from the human, especially in his semi-intoxicated state.

Clearing his throat he made his first attempt, "Did someone take him elsewhere?" Even through his semi-addled thoughts he knew this was not the sort of subtlety he had been going for. Closing his eyes slightly, he berated himself under his breath. 

"You are talking to yourself," Freden said nervously, his fingers drumming together. "Does your master call to you?" This second question was asked quickly, a degree of fear in his voice that caught Gimli's attention, for all the dwarf was confused by the words.

"What if he does?" Gimli questioned slowly, not about to lose an advantage should he actually have one.

The man in front of him trembled slightly, now looking even more uncomfortable then before. Shuffling his feet he finally collapsed to the ground melodramatically. For Gimli it was the second time someone had dropped to the ground before in the span of only a few hours and he was beginning to reassess his conclusions about this place being decent.

"I'm sorry, Lord! It is just Addrodoc said that you would not be needed tonight and asked that I keep you here! Forgive me for interfering with your master's divine plans! It was due but to my ignorance that I acted against you. The temple! He has been taken to a place worthy of his magnificence."

A heavy and oppressive silence enveloped the pair, as Gimli heard and digested this information. Very slowly the dwarf began to understand the full complexities of the situation. These people thought the elf, and not just any elf but _Legolas_, to be some sort of divine creature. 

The dwarf broke out into a fit of tear-inducing laughter.

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Reviewer Responses:

Karri ~ You were our first reviewer for the story! I am also very pleased that you liked how we captured and portrayed Legolas, as keeping the characters as believable as possible is important to us. Thanks for your review and also thanks for the email. It was my pleasure to read and review your story.

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sirithiliel ~ You are so loyal to me! I mean that whenever I post something you are there to review it! That means a lot to me. Here is one update and I hope to have Fading Hope updated by the end of next week. As to the prophesy… that you will have to read to discover. ^_^

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Star-Stallion ~ My favorite part of the last chapter was the Legolas/Arod moment too, lol. I had fun writing it just because I had such a vivid picture in my head of the scene. Here is another update for you and thanks for your review.

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Elfling ~ LOL. Yes, this is the new story I was talking about. It should be around nine chapters long and we already have half of it written. I am glad it caught your interest and I really hope it continues to hold it. I love reviewing your stuff and I am pleased that you feel the same way about my work.

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elfchic02 ~ I am so happy you approved of the way we portrayed the characters. It is important to us that we stay as realistic with Gimli and Legolas' portrayal as possible. I am glad you found their banter humorous because both eLLe and I were both a little unsure. I love Arod as a character, and he is going continue to be a part of this story. Thanks so much for adding me to your favorites list. That was a huge compliment! *blush* ^_^

ShortRedHead28 ~ Thanks so much and I am glad you think this story shows promise. Thanks for your review.

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Artemisa ~ LOL. Thanks for the show of confidence. ROFL. You *are* twins obsessed, not that I blame you. You make them into such endearing characters in your stories that I have found myself more and more taken with them. I am sorry to disappoint but they are not going to appear in this story – but in the next three chapters of so they *will* be in 'Fading Hope' and I am not lying to you this time, lol. eLLe and I do make a good team and this story could not have come into being without her help and her talents.

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Pirate-chicha ~ Sorry. I am known for my cliffhangers and I simply have to end chapters making my readers groan, lol. Here is more and thanks so much for your continued support – I am so pleased you enjoy my and eLLe's writing.

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randomramblings ~ 'Fading Hope'… well I have been having some problems writing the next chapter… a spout of writer's block if you will. So eLLe and I had been working on this story already and had a couple of chapters done so instead of posting nothing – we thought this might hold you over until chapter thirty is done. *grin* I won't abandon my story, I promise!

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mistx2 ~ LOL. I will try to make him heal quickly for you but I have other stuff planned for him worst then a few scraps and bruises. As for what is going to happen next, lol… well you will have to keep reading to find out – and reviews make me post the next bit faster! ^_^

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wellduh… ~ Yep, another fic. eLLe and I have actually been working on this for a while. We have the entire story planned out and have the first few chapters written so while I struggle with the next chapter of 'Fading Hope' we will post this. Thanks for pointing out the killing thing… it is not something I had considered… you might have a point though, lol. The way I saw the scene was them killing bandits who were attacking unarmed families… maybe we did not portray it as graphically enough to have it justify their actions. You found the battle violent? Do you think I should up my rating – I am never sure how to rate my writing, *sigh*. Anyway, thanks so much for your continued reviews and insights – I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it. ^_^

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Niori ~ Hey! It felt so good that so many of my 'Fading Hope' reviewers came here to support me with this newest story as well. eLLe and I are thrilled that you all seem to be enjoying this. I am really proud of this story and it should be around nine chapters long (including the prologue and the epilogue). I hope school is going well for you and you update your stories soon!


	3. Chapter 2: The Awakening of the Forest

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Wow, so much wonderful feedback. Thank-you everyone, and again there are personal notes for you all at the bottom.

To all who are wondering this story is going to be around nine chapters long (including the prologue and epilogue). 

I will be without internet for a while as I go back to school and move into my new place, so please have patience with updates and forgive me if I get behind with reviewing.

To my devoted 'Fading Hope' readers: Um… I'm so sorry! I am just going flat with it. The next chapter is proving to be a killer. I have done all my research for it and tried to write it… I have about a page done. If you would like to email me to help me brainstorm or to look over what I have done so far - then please feel free to do so, because I would appreciate your help.

So, with that in mind, eLLe and I present…

Chapter #2 ~ The Awakening of the Forest

Legolas sat upright, his chin touching his chest as he allowed Addrodoc to examine the back of his head. His body still felt tender after his night's rest, but he was most decidedly feeling better then he had. He could feel his healing abilities slowly piecing him together once more and welcomed it. 

"Incredible! Simply amazing," Addrodoc exclaimed, as his hands slipped through Legolas' hair to examine the newly closed skin on his scalp. "I knew it," he whispered under his breath, his fingers lingering upon Legolas' head for a moment longer before he withdrew. 

Legolas flexed slightly, swinging his feet over the side of the bed-like thing he lay upon. He slowly let his eyes wander over his surroundings then, seeing it all for the first time. 

The place was beautiful, wide and spacious with polished marble floors that sparkled vibrantly under both the combined efforts of candlelight and the morning sunlight, which filtered in from a panel far above them in the ceiling. Along the walls hung a variety of banners and tapestries, embroidered with gold and silver thread, depicting things of which Legolas knew nothing, though he recognized the skill of the craftsmanship that must have been employed in making them. Several statues rose from various places in the room, each draped with fresh flowers, a small collection of obvious offerings surrounding their bases. Upon further inspection, the statues seemed to greatly resemble elves, tall and willowy, with long hair and serene expressions upon their stone faces. The place was peaceful in its silent beauty, and Legolas found himself appreciating its significant artistry, though such a shrine of worship was unknown to the elves.

"Does it please you?" Addrodoc asked in a hushed voice, as he solemnly watched Legolas examine the room.

The elf returned his attention to the man, somewhat puzzled by the question. "It is a room of beauty. Your people have obviously invested much of themselves into its creation," he replied, unsure of what sort of response the man was looking for. 

Slowly lowering himself from his pedestal served to surprise him, as his bare feet came in contact with several pieces of jewelry and cloth laid at the base of the bed. The elf blinked at the offending pieces. His eyes then darted back to the statues, taking in the similar objects at their bases before he let his eyes once again settle on the ones beneath him. 

"Gifts, to honour you and bid you welcome," Addrodoc chirped in quickly, seemingly sensing the elf's confusion.

Legolas slowly stepped over them, stretching out his cramped body and still unsure of how to interpret everything. "Your hospitality is gift enough. I need no more from you," he said slowly.

Addrodoc eyed him for a long disapproving moment. "Of course you need them," he snapped somewhat. "In fact they are inadequate to have been given to one such as you. As soon as you are fully yourself I am sure all in the town will wish to bring you symbols of their homage."

Legolas blinked, his mind unconsciously taking note that he carried no weapons upon himself. He looked around briefly trying to locate Gimli, sure that at any moment the dwarf would pop out and start laughing at the prank that was currently being played against him. Yet no dwarf appeared and the expression upon Addrodoc's face remained icily straight in it conviction. 

If this were a joke, then none laughed at it.

Swallowing in frustration Legolas decided that for the moment he would ignore this newest development. "My horse, Arod, how does he fair?" he asked suddenly realizing guiltily that he had not yet asked after the mount.

"We of course tend him with all care. The last report I received was favourable. He will live to carry you once again."

"Ah," Legolas said uncertainly, still entirely uncomfortable with the situation. "And my friend, Gimli? Where is he?"

"Your servant is receiving all care. He is being well tended, fear not."

"He is not my servant, merely a travelling companion," Legolas interjected quickly, now more certain then ever that he should not encourage these people in their belief's, despite the fact that he was losing the chance of a life-time at mocking the dwarf.

Addrodoc analysed the elf unhappily; his brow furrowed and his mouth set into a definite frown. "You are confused. One so stunted and ugly could never be your equal," he stated firmly, as if he was trying to remind Legolas of something he should already know.

The tone of prejudice that Addrodoc employed angered the elf. Too often as of late had the pair of unlikely friends faced such scorn and disbelief. Legolas felt somewhat shamed to admit, even grudgingly to himself, that at one time he too would have thought such things. Yet he had allowed his own limited beliefs to be broken and he would not stand quietly by now and allow his friend or their friendship to be insulted.

The elf raised an eyebrow challengingly. "I have never valued the worth of my friends by their physical appearance. Beside, Gimli holds the beauty of the earth to him. He is a child of Aulë. I am grateful of his courage and support. I cherish the friendship that grows stronger between us," his tone brooking a confidence that could not be shaken.

Addrodoc frowned, if at all possible, harder His eyes scanned Legolas calculatingly, who refused to be intimidated by the gaze. The elf caught the man's gaze, holding it for the span of several breathes before Addrodoc broke it, looking understandably unnerved at having looked briefly into the soul of one of the firstborn.

"Well, friend or servant, his title matters little," the man mumbled, turning back to a small workbench of deep pine, and filling a glass with liquid. "Here, Most Honoured One. You must be parched," he offered, as a way of apology, his head bowed slightly in submission.

Legolas sighed. That was not what he had wanted. Shaking his head slightly he reached over and accepted the offered cup, bringing it to his nose to smell it uncertainly. A rich sugary smell greeted him and he realized this was the same thing he had drunken the night before. The dryness of his throat overrode his hesitation and he drank quickly, enjoying the strong flavour.

"I think I must go and find Gimli. Would you know where I should begin my search or could you lead me to him?" Legolas asked, as he finished off the drink.

"You should wait upon him, not have to go and search him out," Addrodoc said silkily, his tone once again adopting its tranquil lit.

Legolas opened up his mouth, his first inclination being to protest once again and explain that Gimli was his equal in all things, yet the words died in his throat. Why was Gimli not already here at his side? Why had he awoken to the care of strangers? Why should he, the one who was injured, have to seek out the companionship of the dwarf?

He suddenly felt he understood what Addrodoc was saying. It was true that, of the two friends, it should be the dwarf who should come to Legolas. He nodded, stiffly, once, his hands fiddling with the empty cup he still held. He was not well yet and this left him feeling drained and tired.

He placidly allowed Addrodoc to take the cup from him to refill. The human smiled kindly at Legolas, one of his hands reaching out to stroke a tangled golden lock upon the elf's shoulder before returning the drink to the elf, who sipped at it daintily.

"Who do you think I am?" Legolas asked suddenly, needing to hear it voiced directly.

Addrodoc smiled proudly, as a father would upon a son. He gently led Legolas back to the pedestal, helping the elf to lie down upon it once again. "You are the God of the forest, giver of life," he said, keeping his voice soft and soothing, so that Legolas had to strain to hear him. "It was you, who in the days long gone came and brought the world to life. It is written that one of sunlight, with the grace and beauty of the wind, breathed life into the forests and bid them come to life, and so they did. The trees opened their eyes, singing their praise of all that they saw, and our crops grew and thrived like never before. So shall these things pass again upon your return, in our hour of need."

Legolas shook his head, confusion etched into his fair features. "I have no such power. It is true that the forests of Fangorn rose to speak and to walk by the power of the Noldor elves of a much forgotten age, but I am not even of that descent. I am of the Sindarin blood line," he protested softly. "I have a great love of all things that grow, and share a certain bond with them, yet I lack the ability to awaken the land."

"Nay, you _are_ the one who has returned to us, as it was prophesied. You are the very image of the one who was described in our sacred texts. You have this power and it only needs to be awoken, to be employed. Do not doubt yourself, for I will guide you in your path. I will see your destiny be unleashed," Addrodoc promised lightly, one of his hands once again coming forward to gingerly touch Legolas' brow, stroking it calmly with reverence.

"You mistake me," Legolas tried once again, his mind feeling sluggish. "I possess no such power or magic."

"The ground shall come to life where you touch it," Addrodoc replied forcefully. "A God cannot doubt himself, nor deny the potency of his powers."

Legolas blinked. Something about the whole conversation was striking him as wrong, incredibly wrong, yet he could not quite deduce what it was that so disturbed him. He shivered lightly, trying to pull away from Addrodoc's hand. The man immediately retracted the offending limb with a small apologetic twitch of his lips.

"You heal yourself most impressively, Lord, but you are still weak. Rest some more, while I arrange for a meal to be brought to you. I know this is all very confusing but I will see you through this, as is _my_ destiny. You are in good hands. I will make sure you are prepared for what is expected of you, and all you have to do is trust me in the meanwhile. Can you do this?"

Legolas frowned. His trust was not given out blindly, to a human a barely knew. He was more tolerant of the other races then many elves, his friendships with people like Aragorn and Gimli having opened his eyes to the courage and strength of those who were not elves, but something warned him, deep down, against blindly accepting this man. Yet, he nodded obediently enough, confusing himself in the process.

"That is well, Lord," Addrodoc rewarded him politely, as if encouraging a small child in the codes of proper decorum. Legolas felt his pride flare against the tone, yet his body demanded rest, and no matter how stubbornly his mind protested, sleep he did.

~*~

Gimli sat on the smooth steps that lead up extravagantly to the golden encrusted doors of the temple. Once the dwarf had been told where Legolas was being kept it had been easy enough to find. In a town of surprising modesty the building seemed out of place, in both size and in prodigality, though the dwarf in Gimli had paused to examine some of the carvings which were chipped into the white stone walls with rapt fascination.

He had been in this position all night, and he was now damp with the morning dew and stiff from sleeping on the solid stone. He was, all together, in a horrible mood and his growing concern for his friend did not aid the condition of his temperament. 

The main doors had been barred shut, and no one had answered the dwarf's forceful demands at being granted access. He had circled the entire perimeter of the building, trying to find a window he could break or force open, but the building seemed devoid of them on the lower stories. Above he could see them, yet the dwarf lacked the skill that would be needed to climb up to them, much to his own frustration.

He was laughing no longer. 

His concern over the welfare of the elf was mounting. If these people had done _anything_ to harm the elf, then Gimli promised quick retaliation. So he sat by the doors of the temple, his arms folded irritably across his chest, his pipe long since forgotten as he waited for someone to open up the building. He assumed that sooner or later someone would have to enter or leave the sept and so he waited with what little patience he could muster for such an event.

As the town slowly came to life under the sun's warming rays, the streets began to stir with activity. Gimli sat scowling at it, as street vendors appeared to slowly open up their market booths to the public, and the first few buyers came wandering into the town's center in search for possessions to buy. It was a quaint sort of picture, and curious eyes often turned in Gimli's direction before heads would bow down in deference.

Gimli found himself grinding his teeth together irritably, for as the buzzing activity grew so did the interest people expressed over the presence of the dwarf. Soon people began cautiously approaching the base of the steps leading up to the temple to crouch in the dirt, pressing their foreheads to the cold stone of the bottom step, before scurrying back to the their tasks. 

Gimli knew not what to make of the gestures, finding it all rather embarrassing and ridiculous. Sometimes the stupidity of humans left him in speechless. They were too gullible for their own good; too quick to embrace what they were taught and fear what they did not understand. 

Really, to believe an elf a deity! How could they be so mistaken?

The dwarf looked away from the street front, instead turning his gaze back to the door that kept him from his friend's side. He sat glaring at it with all he possessed, as if such a look could make it less solid. His hand started to play with the hilt of his axe, a sudden temptation to chop his way through it starting to bubble forth. He was certain that such an act would be frowned upon by the villagers however, and he was not certain he wanted to discover first hand what they would do to someone who would defile their place of worship. Yet, his concern for Legolas was quickly overriding his hesitation.

As he waited, he found himself unable to stand his vigilance. His eyelids felt like heavy curtains of lead bearing down his tired eyes, but as his eyes began to flicker shut, he heard several soft, muffled voices, off to one of the sides of the temple.

Cursing beneath his breath he rose, listening for the sound. He followed the wall of the temple, tracing its white stone with his left hand as he passed. The voices grew louder, more fervent and Gimli wondered what it could possibly be. As he rounded a corner, his eyes were greeted by a group of about a dozen people, men and women and children alike, gathered around several great statues of stone. Some of them were lighting long white candles, others were placing flowers, gold and a great many other things at the bases of the tall statues. 

Gimli quietly approached the first statue, the tall figure of a woman, carved of pale grey stone. As he looked upon the woman's face, however eroded it was, he was greatly reminded of Galadriel, the Lady of Lothlorien, whom he was much enamoured with. The woman's left hand was held out, and in the palm of the stone hand was a beautiful flower. Her right hand, however, was gesturing to a tree, a live tree that grew at the base of her being. It was a small, wiry little thing, but the gaze in the weathered statue's eyes was one of much tenderness, and love regardless. A faint smile was on her lips, and Gimli found it fascinating that the makers of the statue were able to bring so much life to plain stone. 

There were several other statues created in the same fashion, and Gimli found his eyes drinking in their beauty. He was surprised the people around him did not question his presence, yet he saw that most of them were kneeling before the statues, praying and singing, therefore paying little attention to him. 

Who were these great images of stone? Gimli wondered. Who were these gods? The dwarf slowly racked his brain for the history of Fangorn. He knew this village lay in its shadow and so he tried to recall anything he might know of these peoples origins. Yet, Gimli was not a dwarf of book learning, and he had never tried to apply himself to such. He made a note to remember to ask Legolas of it, who would probably be more familiar with the legends of Ents then he himself was.

A young girl with large blue eyes and freckle-splattered skin approached the dwarf, and handed him a lit, white candle. He stared at the taper, unsure of what to do, but the youth took the lead. She walked slowly towards a bluish grey statue. There was already a knot of people there, a soft hum of voices filling the warm air. Gimli stood, as the girl kneeled, and watched the ceremony, feeling alien and foreign to the worship before him. 

Yet, despite the unfamiliarity of what he was witnessing, the tenderness and reverence these people projected in their worship touched him. Though it was not the sort of ritual that he as a dwarf would ever partake in, he found some of his harsher views about these people's culture melting, feeling slightly guilty for so quickly judging it.

Turning his eyes from the soft features of the young girl as she kneeled before the statue, he shifted his attention instead to the stone in front of him. He could scarcely believe the sight that greeted him. Rising from the blue tinged stone stood Legolas, not alive and golden, as Gimli was accustomed to seeing him, but carved into something of lifelike quality from the rock face. He stood taller then was normal, his face tilted slightly, as the elf Gimli knew often held himself when he was feeling mischievous or playful. His hair was long and held the appearance of being blown in the wind, though a few of the individual stands had been broken off proving that it had been carved many years prior. The elf held his arms out slightly, his palms turned towards the ground, and from the base of the stature, directly underneath Legolas' hands, sprouted an array of beautiful flowers, their petals soft and gleaming with morning dew.

Had the statue not contained an obvious sign of age, Gimli could easily have believed that it was carved with Legolas being the model. He stood, staring open mouthed, beholding it. The sudden realization that these peoples believed that Legolas was a God making more sense now then ever before.

"Pretty," a small voice whispered at his elbow, and he turned to once again look at the child who had guided him over here, grinning up with him happily, with a single front tooth missing.

Gimli could do nothing but nod and the child smiled wider, a single youthful giggle emerging from her small frame. She reached over and touched the boot of the carving, running her tiny fingers over the polished stone reverently. 

"Thank-you for showing me this, child. I think I understand better as a result," Gimli stated softly, scared that if he spoke too loudly the serenity of the scene would be crushed. She simply nodded once, accepting his words quietly.

The dwarf stared back at the stature one more time, desiring more then ever to see the flesh and blood version of his friend. He slowly wove his way back through the worshipers, watching their proceedings with renewed interest as he retraced his way back out of the garden. He quietly returned to his original spot of vigil, at the main steps overlooking the town square, his mind now filled with new thoughts and concerns.

As the noon-sun shone directly overhead, making sweat trail down the sides of the dwarf's face profusely, the heat surely and slowly becoming unbearable, the doors of the temple finally creaked open, swinging wide in two elegant arcs as they were thrown open. The suddenness of it startled Gimli and the dwarf had to jump back in order to avoid being hit by the think oaken doors.

Exiting dramatically from the entrance strode a powerfully built man, with broad, square shoulders and silvery hair. He wore thick robes of scarlet with golden patterns, similar to those found on the doors, embroidered down the front and around the cuffs of the outfit. He was the other healer who had been tending to Legolas, Gimli recognized, and also one of the survivors of the bandit attack. 

The dwarf struggled to recall his name, wishing that he had payed more attention when the human had introduced himself. _Addrock, Akrodor, Addrdot, _Gimli thought as he ran through the possibilities in his head. He knew it was something along those lines. _Addrodoc!_ As soon as he remembered it, he knew it was correct.

Addrodoc lifted his hands out, the long sleeves of his robes trailing all the way down to the ground. "My fellow townspeople," and it was true Gimli noted with a certain degree of shock. The market area seemed suddenly more full, people lingering in the area as if they had been awaiting this man's appearance. "The truest of miracles has finally come to pass! As our sacred texts have foretold the spirit of the forest, the Life-Giver has come to us to once again to give life to our lands!" The man's voice carried well, proving to have a deep, thunderous quality to it. It radiated confidence and joy, and Gimli did not doubt that this man was a leader of his people, for in certain ways the human reminded him of Aragorn. 

The dwarf stood off to the side, completely unnoticed by the priest as he continued to address those who had gathered. "Soon the temple doors will be opened wide for all to come and worship, yet this morning still proves difficult, as the Life-Giver adjusts and heals. We must give Him time before we can display our pleasure and thanks. The Ritual of Regeneration shall take place in three days time at dusk and with it shall a new era be brought into being." As this final announcement was made, Gimli saw several people frown. A slight ripple of muttering spreading throughout those gathered.

Addrodoc seemed to notice this apprehension as well, for the man's face frowned unhappily as he watched the discord. "Worry not, my people. The god's will has never been clearer to me. I shall see that all is done to the their supreme will. Soon, you shall all be able to approach the Life-Giver and have your prayers answered!"

This last bit seemed to distract the people from the thoughts of the ritual. They smiled, cheering lightly at the thought of approaching their deity directly, basking in the radiance that so far only a select lucky few had seen. 

Addrodoc smiled benignly, making a few small sweeping gestures with his hands, which Gimli assumed to be some sort of blessing. The man then turned, with a clean sweep of his robes, the thick sound of fabric sliding across the stone accompanied his movements. It was at this moment that Gimli stepped forwards, blocking the man's retreat back into the temple.

"For your sake, healer, my friend has best not be hurt, nor mistreated in any way," Gimli growled, the frustration of his night coming bubbling to the surface once again.

The man beheld Gimli with an irritated expression upon his face, looking as if this brief delay was costing him much inconvenience. With a small dismissive hand gesture he shook his head. "I would not dream of hurting He whom I care, for I am His humble servant," the man said, angered by the accusation that Gimli laid upon him.

The dwarf snorted, before turning and walking through the open doors. He turned once he had safely entered, placing his hands upon his hips. "Take me to the elf," he ordered imperiously.

Addrodoc entered still looking as if this was all horribly inconvenient. Sighing, and rubbing the bridge of his nose with two fingers, he looked at the dwarf once again. "So be it, but He currently rests and I will not have you disturb Him from a slumber which is much needed."

The dwarf nodded his head once, willing to agree to anything to be taken to Legolas' side once again. It was with a certain thrill of success that he followed Addrodoc through the twisting pathways of the temple towards the elf. So distracted with thoughts of Legolas that he never marked the doors sliding shut behind them once again, the small seal that marked that a door was present all but disappearing from view.

Gimli followed Addrodoc into a vast chamber hastily. The room had high ceilings which embraced the golden sunlight that streamed through the transparent windows, allowing streams of light to melt into the room, bathing the pedestal and its occupant at its far end in an almost a unnatural glow. The sight made Gimli pause as he was struck again with the notion that these people believed Legolas a god. 

Looking at the elf sleeping, glowing with a certain power Gimli had never understood, made the dwarf almost believe it as well, but he pushed the thought from his head quickly. Legolas was many things, but a god he would never be, no matter how much he might fancy himself as one, Gimli thought with a smirk. 

He crossed the room as quietly as he could, not desiring to disturb his friend's slumber, yet even with the clanking of his boots upon the stone echoing through the chamber Legolas did not stir. He slept soundly, his eyes closed as his body healed itself. Gimli frowned as he observed how pale the elf looked now that he was closer. Yet, the elf's chest rose and fell steadily, his face smooth and looking untroubled as he slept, and Gimli felt for the first time in nearly twelve hours that all was well.

He let out a small breathe of relief, smiling fondly down at his friend, his body finally losing the tension which had been building within him while he had been forced to wait. A yawn stretched his jaw wide then, as his body once again tried to demand he sleep. The dwarf was all too happy to comply as he settled himself down on the floor a short distance away from Legolas.

He ignored Addrodoc completely as he gratefully slipped into slumber. 

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Reviewer Responses: (I hope I got you all!)

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Bookworm2000 ~ Yeah, I don't think Gimli would make a good valet, do you? LOL. We really had fun thinking that up and planning how to write it in. Look for future fun between Legolas and Gimli on the subject.

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Karri ~ I loved writing Arod. In the last chapter eLLe did most of the Legolas scene where I wrote most of the Gimli and Arod moments. I was wondering if people would notice when we shifted over. In this chapter I would write part of scene and then email it to eLLe and she would write part of it and send it back. I am hoping it does not turn out choppy as a result. I am glad you are finding moments funny – we were aiming for that! (^_^)

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Sirithiliel ~ Well this chapter revealed a little about the prophesy. You are starting to get a picture of what these people are expecting from Legolas but not everything has been revealed yet. Other story is still on the cold burner but I am hoping to get it sorted out soon. 

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wellduh… ~ Yeah, I know. These poor deluded villagers have some really skewed notions of Gimli and Legolas. I am glad you liked Rulif. I had fun writing him. He was a cutie and might appear again later – so keep your eyes out for him. So far there are no other graphic battle scenes but if there are I might up the rating. Thanks for pointing that out to me. (^_^) 'Fading Hope'… I have been having problems writing it… as soon as I am done the next chapter I will post it.

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Gwyn ~ I am glad this cheered you up and that you found it funny. We had fun with the Gimli/servant thing too. These people's antics will only more ludicrous too as time goes on. I hope you continue to get a kick out of it and thanks so much for reviewing it!

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randomramblings ~ Did you get the magazine and was the interview any good? Or were the Orlando pictures at least drool worthy? I am glad it is original. We wanted to do something that no one else had done before and to hear we are succeeding just makes us ecstatic! 

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Artemisa ~ Your stories deserve compliments! It is interesting to me that you think sacrifice right away. You are a perceptive reader! Keep the guesses coming. Fading Hope will come eventually – thanks for your patience concerning it. eLLe sends her thanks for your support and reviews!

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merrylyn ~ Your back! I wondered where you had disappeared too and positively jumped up and down when I got your reviews. I totally agree with you about thinking Legolas worship worthy, lol. I mean ff.net is almost completely a cult of drooling elf followers, so this story seems appropriate given that. I am sure you are a wonderful writer. Why don't you post something here? I would go and read it! We really start having fun with the whole Gimli servant thing too before this story ends. It actually becomes a really important factor – but I am not going to drop any more hints about that yet. LOL. So you have been having a first hand count of what it is like to go drinking with a dwarf, eh? LOL. That would be something – and I suddenly understand a lot better of why you might have disappeared. *offers you some Tylenol* 

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Chanra ~ I am glad you enjoyed this so far – and I am pleased to offer what ever escapes from tedious school lessons as I can, lol. I mean I am a student too – so I understand all too well the importance of procrastination when you get over stressed. ^_^

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Ryoko: the Welsh Elf ~ Yes, poor Gimli. This whole view of him as a servant is really going to grate on him before the end of the story. It is going to provide lots of wonderful dialogue opportunities between the duo. Thanks for your review.

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LalaithoftheBruinen ~ *gobbles up the plot bunnies that were sent in my direction* Well thanks for the fuel and we will write as quickly as we can! I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

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MadMaddie ~ I am pleased you think this well written. eLLe and I went over this looking for mistakes countless times – and it never fails… as soon as I post the newest chapter I find at least one mistake… *sigh* but I guess some things are unavoidable. Thanks so much for reviewing my 'Wet Elves' vignette too and I pleased you liked it. Of all my pieces that one has received the least attention so I always get really excited when I receive feedback on it.

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Elberethia ~ I agree completely. Pass me an elf shrine and I would volunteer to be a priestess, *grin*. I am glad you are finding this amusing. I like trying to include an element of humor in my writing so it encourages me greatly when I hear I have managed to do so. Thanks for your review.

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Elfling ~ Glad you liked Rulif. I was fond of him too! I had a lot of fun (and giggles) writing him. So you are getting bad vibes from Addrodoc, are you? Well I suppose this chapter would not have helped you with that vibe, lol. I am sorry to hear you are not feeling well. I hope you get well soon! Yes, the servant thing we are going to have fun with. It will become a major plot point later on too. I am glad you think this is original! We wanted to come up with something that no one had done before, and for the history of Fangorn and stuff we did a lot of research to make it believable. I am sorry about 'Fading Hope'. I am having problems with the next chapter. I will be back at school soon so writing will become a major procrastination activity for me – so it will mean I will be posting more often! Yippee! I will get it up there asap! Thanks for the review.

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Shlee Verde ~ *squeals* I am so thrilled you think this is excellent. My ego is just expanding with all of this encouragement from wonderful reviewers like you! Hope you continue to enjoy.


	4. Chapter 3: Of Welcomed Reunions?

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Hello reviewers & welcome. Once again thanks for your feedback and look for personal notes at the bottom. I was just completely intrigued with some of your guesses and with your speculations, particularly concerning Legolas and Addrodoc. I have some master sleuths here! And bonus points go to Ryoko for dubbing Addrodoc as the 'high leader of the tribe of fangirls'. LOL. I had not though of him as such but there is a ring of truth in that description.

Much is revealed in this chapter, so enjoy.

Chapter #3 ~ Of Welcomed Reunions?

Legolas smiled as he felt the warmth of the sun upon his face. No matter how many times he woke to the light, he always found joy in doing so. Such a simple thing, an event that most people would not even mark, still captured his attention after thousands of years of experiencing it.

Letting his eyes drift open he lazily recalled the events of the past days. His left arm, which lay gently upon his stomach, still felt stiff and sore, but his healing abilities had done wonders to cure it from the original state it had been in. He realized he would still be deprived of its full use for a few days yet, but still it seemed to be healing faster then even he would have expected.

It was a sudden rumbling noise that made the scene complete. The unmistakable tenor of Gimli's snores rose into the high ceiling, vibrating off the rafters high above. The elf smiled, remembering with a certain amount of amusement how he had first reacted upon hearing it during the first nights as a member of the fellowship. 

He sat up slowly, his eyes quickly scanning over the floor to locate the dwarf, who seemed to be sleeping soundly, a definite scent of alcohol clinging to his person and explaining his absence when Legolas had first awoken. The elf shook his head, his eyes then falling upon Addrodoc, who seemed unaware of the elf's now conscious state as he glared at the dwarf, whose snoring was breaking the peace of this sanctuary.

He slipped from the bed, careful to not disturb the offers that had been placed before him and walked towards the man, whose head shot up as he sensed the movement. The human quickly dipped his head in respect and then gently clasping Legolas' elbow he led them both from the room.

"That seemed almost too loud to believe," he muttered as they cleared the general vicinity, now entering a room that housed a small pool like area in its center. Plants and ivy clung to the walls, making the chamber appear emerald green in colour, as the sun reflected off the pools surface so that small patches of light danced across the walls, mimicking the rippling movements of the water. It was a lovely room. 

Addrodoc stood, watching Legolas once again, his eyes almost calculating. Despite his best attempts to ignore the scrutiny, Legolas soon grew uncomfortable, sensing an almost possessive quality to the gaze. He moved away from Addrodoc slightly, hoping that distance would decrease the intensity that clouded the human's eyes.

"When did Gimli arrive?" he asked casually, reaching out to touch one of the leaves on the vine gently.

"Not to long ago. My people were introducing him to the town's pub last night, and he has only just stumbled in from those activities. I imagine he will sleep for a while, but that should give us time to... get to know one another better, I think." Addrodoc crossed closer to the elf once again, his hand coming to rest on Legolas' upper arm. 

Legolas stood still as the man once again stared at him, resisting the urge to fidget. He felt like the contact between them should bother him, and he almost pulled his arm from the others' grip, yet instead of acting upon this impulse he simply stood motionless, for some reason content to simply be compliant.

"Will you bathe, Lord? I have had fitting clothing prepared for you, before your faithful servants are brought before you," the human said softly. 

Legolas looked down at his own dusty clothing. He was feeling dirty, and he suddenly realized that the pool must be some sort of bathing area. He knew before he said anything that he would accept the invitation, his own sense of hygiene demanding he do so.

As if sensing his thoughts Addrodoc spoke, "We often do purification's here. I have laid out soaps and oils for your use, at the ledge there, and the clothes are right here," he said motioning to a long bench that ran along one of the walls. Even from where he was standing, Legolas realized that the gaudy, slightly transparent cloth would not be something he would be comfortable wearing. He shook his head lightly.

"I had a saddle bag, with some extra clothing in it. May I not have that returned to me?" 

"Such outfits are not meant for gods," Addrodoc said firmly, shaking his head violently to punctuate his point.

"Yes, but I am not..." Legolas started, though his voice seemed soft and lacked conviction.

"Yes! You are!" Addrodoc interjected quickly, not even letting the elf finish the statement, as if to have Legolas directly contradict him would be a form of blasphemy. "You must learn to believe," the human continued more calmly this time. "You are everything I would have you be." The humans hands crept up, so that one now rested on Legolas' shoulder and the other upon his cheek, the thumb upon his face gently stroking back and forth upon the smooth skin.

Legolas opened his mouth, closing it again before any words could come out. He suddenly lost focus as to what he was arguing about, forgetting why it was vital he refute what was being said. Confusion left him silent, unsure of what to do. Finally he stepped back, moving from beneath Addrodoc's hands carefully. "I will bathe," he said quietly.

"Very good, Lord," the man all but purred back, his face breaking into a satisfied smile. "I shall return shortly," he promised as he slipped from room closing the door softly behind him.

Legolas stood still for a moment, looking down to watch the reflected light dance across his stomach and chest. Slowly blinking his eyes he pulled his tunic from his body, letting it drop unceremoniously to the ground at his feet. With a certain detached awareness he shed the rest of his clothing, kicking aside the growing pile upon the floor from his path as he stepped gingerly into the cool waters, walking down several carved steps til his stood waist deep in the center of the pool.

He let himself sink down completely into the dark waters, his head slipping under the water and he held himself under for several moments, hoping the refreshing feeling would clear his suddenly jumbled thoughts.

A part of him wanted to laugh at the idea that he could be a deity, yet a certain amount of the conviction that Addrodoc spoke with seemed to be effecting him. He could not understand but a part of him almost seemed willing to accept these people's assertions.

He rose again slowly, drinking in a deep breath of air as he surfaced. Blinking drops of water from his eyes he slid to the side of the pool, gathering up soap and washing his body quickly before turning his attentions to his hair. 

He was finished rapidly. Despite his desire to simply relax within the waters embrace he rose swiftly, gathering up one of the towels that had been left out for him and drying himself. Wrapping the towel around his slender waist, he moved over to the bench, picking up the clothing that had been left for him.

Examining it proved that it was as bad as he had feared it would be. The leggings themselves were acceptable enough, being simply white in colour, and he slipped these on without too much thought, yet the shirt was somewhat transparent, and sparkled silver when it caught the light. Ignoring this he simply went over and collected his previous tunic once again, pulling it on over his head. He also checked and cleared both the belt and the boots that had been given to him.

He then set about brushing out his hair, re-braiding it at both of his temples into the familiar warrior braids that marked him as an archer, before pulling them back to hold his hair from his face. The familiarity of this routine left him feeling more calm and collected then he had been feeling earlier.

He stood and walked over to the door he had entered, his fingers tracing over the smooth stone as he attempted to find out where the mechanism was that would open it. Yet the stone proved unyielding, remaining cold and unmoving despite anything he might try to do to it.

It was in this process of attempting to leave that Addrodoc once again reentering. The stone parting for him without protest. Legolas blinked, shuffling backwards slightly at the sudden entrance. Addrodoc took in his appearance with a critical eye. 

"You are not wearing the shirt," he said emotionlessly.

Legolas nodded, not sure what to say, yet still feeling that normally he would want to say something to such a comment. Doubt flickering in his eyes, he met Addrodoc's eyes uncertainly.

"Well, I suppose you will do," the man said, his eyes still sweeping over Legolas appraisingly. "Come, your servant is stirring, and I have no doubt you will both want food. Then the public awaits you. We have a busy evening left yet before us," Addrodoc stated, his voice adopting an urgent quality to it.

Legolas blinked, finding a cup pressed into his hand. "You must be thirsty as well. I brought this for you since you seem fond of it." The elf looked into the amber liquid feeling more detached from his surroundings now then ever. Addrodoc slid his hands beneath the bottom of the cup, helping the elf raise it to his lips. "Drink it. It shall make everything more clear," the human promised.

Suspicion flared in Legolas, but it was quick to dissipate as the sweet taste of the drink coated the insides of his mouth and warmed his throat. Soon all he could think of was how content and peaceful he felt, and as a gentle arm came around the back of his waist he allowed himself to be led placidly from the room.

Beside the elf Addrodoc smiled, feeling completely awed by the perfection of the being beside him. He treated himself, allowing his other hand to come out briefly to run his fingers over the damp golden locks of hair, reveling in the silken texture. The being was perfect, a god in his own right. _My god_, the human mused as his hand fell away.

"I shall see to it that everyone sees you as I do. Your potential shall be revealed by my hand," he muttered quietly.

"Potential?" the elf asked quietly, his face troubled and mournful in expression.

"Yes. You are a god and your destiny is foretold," the men coached fondly, his grasp around the elf's waist tightening momentarily in encouragement.

"A god..." Legolas replied despondently, for some reason feeling completely depressed over the notion, yet starting to believe it none the less.

"Good," the man replied. "We are making progress."

They entered the main chamber a moment later, Gimli still snoring loudly into the empty hall. Legolas felt a sudden jolt of hope at seeing the dwarf, and he crossed the room quickly to crouch down next to his sleeping companion. 

"If your servant still sleeps, leave him. I shall be back momentarily with food," Addrodoc called out softly, shuffling from the room.

The elf blinked, before glancing down at the dwarf. Something about the word servant stirring a memory within the elf, though the details escaped him. He reached out calmly, shaking one bulky shoulder slightly.

Gimli awoke to find Legolas leaning over him, a cascade of damp blonde hair dangling close to the dwarf's own nose. Shifting slightly he observed the elf closely, taking in the dilated eyes, the pale complexion, and the slightly flushed cheeks. "Well elf. Fine mess you have landed us in," he said through a yawn.

"Have I?" Legolas replied. Gimli's concern grew when he realized this was the sole reply Legolas was going to make, the tone of which had sounded almost afraid and the words themselves painfully out of character.

"Are you all right?" Gimli inquired immediately, sitting up, all traces of weariness melting from him.

The elf nodded. "Though I would like some more to drink," he said, attempting to pass Gimli the empty cup he still held. The dwarf blinked as he looked down at it, before looking up at the elf again. 

"Why would you give it to me then? You have legs, use them," the dwarf said lightly, hoping that this was merely some game the elf was playing with him. Yet Legolas merely frowned upon hearing this, his head tilting slightly in confusion.

"Then what is your function as my servant?" he inquired steadily. 

Gimli felt his alarm growing, taking in the straight features of the elf's face, and the seriousness of his tone. "Servant? A dwarf, a servant of an elf? I think you hit that flighty head of yours harder then either of us could have imagined," he said, though his voice was filled with dread, and not the playfulness such banter would normally inspire between the two.

Legolas raised one of his hands to the back of his head, touching the newly healed skin that grew there. "Well," the archer said uncertainly, "I am a god, am I not?"

Gimli felt his eyebrows rise to met his hairline, his breathing hitching to a sudden stop. "What?" he stammered. "Lad, you cannot possibly mean that!" he pressed, hoping that the elf was merely mocking the current situation they were in, yet it was not to be. The elf merely continued to gaze at him steadily, unblinking in that unnerving way that only elves could.

Gimli felt rage boil up within himself. Rising to his feet in a sudden rush he yelled, "Addrodoc! What have you done to him?!" the bellow echoed off the walls and as Gimli looked down he saw that Legolas had covered both of his ears, now looking up at the dwarf with even wider eyes.

The man did not approach however, obviously to far away to have heard the war cry. Gimli frowned, turning once again to face the elf. "Legolas, tell me of the history of Fangorn," he demanded steadily. The elf blinked uncertainly, still eyeing the dwarf rather critically. Gimli, aching at seeing his friend in such a condition, softened his voice. "Tell me how the Ents came into being."

"It is said that in the days when the elder rose, the ents also came into being," Legolas began vaguely. "There are several tales of how the Ents awoke from their lifeless state. One theory asserts that they were formed from the thoughts of Yavanna, who was much enamored with all that could grow. She beseeched Eru to allow such life to blossom and was granted her desire. Her creations were given the title of Tree Shepherds and guarded over Her lands and the trees of Arda. When the Green-Elves of old, the Noldor, discovered them, the kin of my people taught them our language, giving them the gift of speech. Yet other sources say that the High Elves admit that the Valar did not mention the Ents in the music, so their origins are still something of a mystery. Yet it is agreed that the elves gifted the trees with voice," Legolas concluded.

"So, what is this Ritual of Regeneration? What is it this mad-man wants you to do?" Gimli pressed, listening intently.

The elf cocked his head to the side. "I am to awaken the land, and allow it to live and blossom once again."

"Legolas," the dwarf began slowly, trying to keep his voice level. "How exactly do you plan on doing that? You are an archer, not a god," he finished firmly.

"I must not doubt my powers. Where I touch the earth, the land will grow," Legolas replied calmly, though his brow was furrowed as if he were confused.

The dwarf closed the space between them, since the elf still knelt it put them at eye-level and allowed the dwarf to reach over and clasp both of Legolas' shoulders firmly. "Legolas," he punctuated each word with a slight shake of the elf in front of him.

"You."

Shake.

"Are."

Shake.

"Not."

Shake.

"A God."

The elf pulled himself free of the dwarf's grasp with a small warning growl emanating from his throat. "For a servant you are not very respectful," he snapped, reaching up with his uninjured arm to massage one of his shoulders tenderly.

Gimli bit his bottom lip, feeling frustrated beyond measure. "You are not a god and I am most certainly _not_ your servant! The day I serve you is the day I shave my beard clear off and sing to trees. Can you get that through those pointy ears of yours?!" he bellowed, not really angry with Legolas but just frustrated with the situation on whole.

The elf's eyes narrowed in indignation, his pride apparently not having been effected by whatever had been done to him. Legolas stood smoothly, brushing his clothing straight. "Stunted one, I order you to fill this," the elf snapped, shoving the empty cup into the dwarf's limp fingers. 

"Stunted..." the dwarf puffed, feeling his cheeks expanding as he sucked in angry breathes of air. As he slowly reigned in his initial fury the dwarf felt torn between laughing at the ridiculous expression upon the elf's face and crying over the thought of what might have been done to the elf to have made him this convinced that he was a deity. _I should not have left him_, Gimli berated himself once again. _Ah, my friend! What have they done to you?_

Gimli rubbed his forehead wearily, trying to figure out how best to deal with a delusional elf. "Legolas, we must leave here, now. I promised I would visit Fangorn with you, did I not? We should not delay on our purpose," Gimli tried softly.

"We were travelling?" Legolas muttered, as if such memories were very far away at present, and he held only a dim recollection of such an undertaking.

"Yes," Gimli pressed, seeing doubt flicker in the blue eyes, and seizing the opportunity it offered.

"I... I don't know," Legolas stammered, closing his eyes tightly as if trying to block out the world. "I just don't know," he repeated miserably.

"It is okay elf," Gimli said gently, angered beyond words at how fragile the elf looked and sounded. "Trust me with this. You can trust m..." but Gimli was cut off as Addrodoc once again shuffled into the room, the sweep of his robes upon the floor announcing his coming.

The man took in the scene quietly, looking first at Legolas who still had not opened his eyes before glaring furiously at Gimli. "What have you done to upset him?" the human snapped coldly, setting the tray he carried down.

"What have _I_ done to him?" Gimli roared. "I would ask that of you!"

"I have opened his mind to what he is and what he can become! I will not have some deformed gnome undermine my efforts," the man snapped, a somewhat insane gleam flashing in his eyes. "I have not waited my entire life for this event only to have you confuse the issue."

"You are the one who confuses the issue! My friend and I risked ourselves to aid you and this is how you repay us. I demand to know what you did to him and that you undo it right now," Gimli said in a low growl, his teeth barred together as he spoke.

Addrodoc glared at the dwarf before turning to Legolas. Calming the tone in which he spoke he reached out with a single hand, "Come here, Lord. This creature shall not be allowed in your presence again, nor shall his lies."

The elf swayed on the spot where he stood, as if struggling between the desire to go to Addrodoc or to simply remain where he stood. Gimli watched the battle play itself across his friend's face, certain for a moment that he recognized something of the elf he knew Legolas to be flicker across his expression momentarily. Yet in the end, the same obedient neutrality settled over his features and he strode forward, batting away the hand Gimli lifted to detain him.

"You had your chance," Addrodoc hiss triumphantly, as he fondly grasped Legolas' wrist, smoothing a lose strand of hair back behind one of the elf's pointed ears. Gimli felt himself growling in anger striding forward purposefully.

"Don't you dare touch him," Gimli threatened, a fierce desire to protect the elf kicking into play. 

"I wouldn't," Addrodoc warned, his hand tightening upon Legolas. "Remember that I have your friend in my power. Try and take him from me and you might not like how this ends."

Gimli's steps slowed, his anger melting into something stronger, yet the threat served its purpose and the dwarf made no further move towards the pair. He snarled low, his growing fear making his anger all the more potent and heartfelt.

"Now leave this sacred place. This temple was never meant to house such a _thing _as you."

"No,' Legolas interjected. "Please let him stay. He must learn. Must be made to see," the elf stammered, his words almost incomprehensible. 

"See what?" Gimli pressed, trying to ascertain the exact nature and depth of the elf's words.

The dwarf's question was ignored however, as Addrodoc turned beseechingly towards Legolas. "M'Lord. He confuses you with lies. Why would you wish to keep such a trickster within your service? He has proven himself unworthy of your trust."

"I... I would have him remain," Legolas pressed, a degree of determination underlying the words that not even the human priest could be ignorant of.

"So be it. If that is as you desire. For the time he might remain," Addrodoc stated, his voice holding a oozing degree of false serenity that grated at the dwarf's nerves. "Would you and your honoured guest then be seated?"

As Gimli sat stiffly down at the low table across from Legolas he could hear the wild thunder of his beating heart. As the food was placed before him, his mind raced with what course of action he should take - what avenue would allow both himself and Legolas to escape unharmed.

The task had never seemed more daunting, and the stakes the dwarf decided as he looked upon the elf, had never been higher.

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Reviewer Responses:

Karri ~ I am glad you can see things slowly coming together. We really wanted this to hold an air of mystery. To have all of you guessing about what is going to happen next and who you can trust – so I am pleased to know we are setting up the stage well. LOL. Legolas is over his head, isn't he? Well it is lucky for him that he has a friend like Gimli to watch out for him when he cannot do so for himself.

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Sirithiliel ~ I am so behind with reviewing your stories. I am sorry for that. I was just checking last night and I saw how far you were in both of them and I felt so guilty. I will try to get to them tonight or tomorrow at any rate and I am sorry I could not edit faster for you. Fading Hope is slowly being written. I have four pages typed so that is something.

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Gwyn ~ I am so pleased you are getting such a kick out of this, lol. I know – it makes you wonder what these people do want with out elf. This chapter I think will just taunt you all the more.

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Elfling ~ I am glad you liked the description. I was a little worried people would be bored by it because a lot of the last chapter was description – but no one complained so I guess you didn't mind it. I am glad you caught onto it. We were trying to work that in really subtly over the first few chapters – to explode in this one but brownie points to you for guessing that right. LOL. Trying to bride Legolas – a concept I had not considered before but I am sure it must have happened at some point in his life.

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Manders1953 ~ Glad you are enjoying it. I love writing and would like to do it professionally one day so this is the perfect type of practice for me. Hope you continue to read, review and enjoy.

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mistx2 ~ Well I have several chapters left to go so I can't have Legolas unconscious for all of them, lol. Still lots of time for him to be hurt though so I make no promises and all I can say is don't get too comfortable, lol. I am so pleased you drew the parallel between Addrodoc and Wormtongue. The two do have a lot of similarities and he (Wormtongue) was certainly an influence when it came to creating Addrodoc. Thanks –the move was great and believe it or not I am glad to be back at school. When I am at home for too long living with my parents it gets to me, lol.

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Ryoko: the Welsh Elf ~ ROFL. That will be his a.k.a. name, lol. Thanks for sharing that random thought – I got a real kick out of it.

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Elberethia ~ LOL – are you serious!? Bloomism! BLOOMISM! Okay that is obsessive to the ninth degree, lol. Where can I join up? Always trust your intuitions. You have a very good reason to not trust Addrodoc – as this chapter probably confirmed for you, lol. Keep the guesses coming.

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Bookworm2000 ~ Yes, the ritual. That will eventually be revealed – but not yet. You proposed some interesting guesses but for the purposes of suspense I can't tell you if you are either right or wrong yet, lol. LOL. I think you are right – things are getting weirder but hopefully this chapter answered some of your questions – if not raised more. I am in love with Legolas and Gimli's friendship. It grew from hatred that extended back from centuries of racial hate to become something unshakable. I think that I just so wonderful and beautiful all at once. I am glad I am capturing moments that reflect that friendship.

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Madmaddie ~ Glad you liked the child/Galadriel statue moment. eLLe started that scene and I finished it so it was a combination of both of our efforts. Thanks so much for your praise of my writing. It means a lot to me.

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merrylyn ~ Some really good guesses. LOL. It would freak me out too if an old man was constantly pawing at me as well. I was in a MacDonalds once and this old man grabbed my hair and started running his fingers through it and telling me how nice it was – it completely freaked me out. I mean I know he was just an old man who was probably senile – but still. I believe very firmly in not invading other peoples personal space. ROFL – belittling a dwarf… too funny. I was practically crying I was laughing so hard when I read that. You do have a point though – can one be belittled? Deserves further consideration. I would **love** to read your story. Any time you feel like receiving feedback email me it and I will tell you what I think. I think it is so great that you are trying to get published. I have had some of my poetry published – I am a good poet but I have not worked up the courage to try and send in any of my prose yet. I am using LotR fanfiction as a practice of sorts so that I get better at story telling and then I will try to go original.

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Artemisa ~ Oh, ouch. You are in exams already!? Wow – I just get so use to my school year that I forget that it is different all over the world and that some people are actually finishing their years where I am just beginning. I am glad my writing helped to relax you after you had finished and I hope you did well on it. Thanks for the good luck wishes. I love my new place and after the first week of school I think it too will go well.

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Jedi Cosmos ~ I am glad you think this creative! That was important to us and at the same time we wanted to keep it Tolkien based. We really had to do a lot of research about the Ents and the role of the elves in their creation to make this plausibly based. I am glad we are keeping them in character… Legolas is slowly spiraling out of his but that is intended and due in part to other reasons, but I have a lot of fun with Gimli and Legolas banter – so I am glad you are enjoying it too. Glad this is also building up suspense and dread in you and you have a very good reason to not trust Addrodoc! Thanks for your review.

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Mahal ~ Yeah – I liked the premise too. It sort of reminds me of 'Road to Eldorado' if you have ever seen the cartoon – but creepier, lol. Yeah – Addrodoc is obsessed and you can see, especially in this chapter that he is sort of off his rocker. He is a dangerous nut – and Gimli is going to have to find a way to beat him. I hope this chapter helped to solve some of your questions – at least in regards to the roots of these peoples beliefs. Thanks for your review and I hope you continue to enjoy.

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Elfchic02 ~ It is sometimes hard to see a story out – especially when they get really long without your intention of making them that long. I am glad you plan to not abandon it however. I am glad you like the descriptions. I write poetry so description plays a big part of whatever I write. 

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Star-Stallion ~ LOL. How can you tell I am a fangirl at heart? I know – this story was in part influences by my own worshipping tendencies, lol. I am glad you are enjoying it.


	5. Chapter 4: The Price of Being A God

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Hey all. Again thanks for the wonderful feedback. I was truly impressed with the number of death threats that Addrodoc has received, lol. You will all just have to line up to take your turns. Anyway, all your comments are making eLLe and I turn pink with excitement. I wanted to address just a couple of things:

The whole Addrodoc touching thing (which is unnerving a lot of you – and with reason). I just wanted to make sure you guys were not interpreting it on a sexual level – I mean if you really want to take it on that level then by all means go ahead, but that was not how we had intended it when we were writing. It is something beyond/above that. It is like when you get a new possession – something you had really wanted and you just can't believe your luck – and you just want to hug it, but yet at the same time don't want anyone else to touch it incase they break it. Does that make sense? It is an idea of ownership, of polishing your new car in the driveway to show it off. It is that sort of possessiveness. I hope that clarifies/relieves some of your anxieties. ^_^

*drops to knees and pleas for forgiveness* I know! I still have not updated 'Fading Hope'. Bad me! I have a bit written and I might just post that. I am just cramping up with writer's block on it. I am sorry. Eventually it will be finished. I have come way to far to give up on it now.

60 reviews! What can we say? WOW!

Chapter #4 ~ The Price of Being A God

Gimli snorted for the countless time in the past hour, the noise coming out sounding intentionally disdainful and loud, as he attempted to vent his frustrations as publicly as possible. Yet, the dwarf was somewhat disappointed with the reaction - which remained unimpressively absent. Not even Addrodoc seemed to bother himself with sending the dwarf hatful glares anymore. In fact, most people seemed to be thoroughly content ignoring Gimli completely. 

The dwarf was not taking well to being so utterly disregarded.

Folding his arms stiffly across his broad chest, the dwarf narrowed his dark eyes till they became mere slits through which he watched the event angrily. Spluttering incoherent sentences, mere fragments of words, under his breath, Gimli observed the ritual while projecting as much skepticism upon the room as possible given the circumstances. 

The main hall was filled with reverent people, who were silently kneeling upon the floor, their eyes closed in prayer. Some clutched small objects of devotion to their chests, the significance of which Gimli could not fathom, though at this point he cared little. At the far end of the hall sat Legolas. The elf watched the proceedings quietly, his body seeming to radiate confidence and grace. His form bearing such a striking resemblance to the stone figure at the shrine Gimli observed earlier, that one could almost believe the statue itself had come to life.

Addrodoc had once again donned his ceremonial robes. The man walked down the length of the hall watching the prayer session with smug satisfaction. As Gimli observed the priest, the dwarf could think of nothing he would like to do better than wipe that superior sneer from the man's face. Yet such a thing could not be done, Gimli reminded himself unhappily, at least not yet.

Finally, no longer being able to bear his stationary position, Gimli strode forward keeping close to the wall, and fast approaching the elf. The dwarf was still desperately clinging to the hope that something could be said or done to break through the unnatural power engulfing his friend, surely something could make the elf come to his senses. Sadly, Gimli knew not what. A part of him toyed with the idea that he could simply force the elf away from these people, sling him over Arod's back and ride off to safety, but the dwarf was not certain how this could be successfully accomplished.

Standing at the elf's side, the dwarf fumed silently for several minutes regarding his friend. Legolas finally returned his gaze. Taking pleasure in the silent victory, Gimli snorted.

"What, no light shows? No hocus-pocus? No wailing of your hands? You just sit here?" the dwarf inquired harshly.

The elf sighed, sending Gimli what could only be interpreted as a despairing glance. "They wish to honour me. It is the least I can do to let them."

"How noble," Gimli spat. "I am glad to hear you are doing this for their benefit and not your own."

"Sarcasm does not become you."

"Nor does Godhood you!"

"This is my destiny. It has been foretold," Legolas replied mechanically.

"ARG! Can you no longer even speak for yourself? Must you so dutifully regurgitate what that mad priest has said to you!?"

The elf seemed to have no answer for the question. Gimli assumed it was because such an inquiry diverged from the scripted words he had been permitted to say. Frustration boiled within Gimli. Roaring in exasperation and indignation, ignoring the shocked expressions that turned in his direction, Gimli stormed from the room. He needed to distance himself from the scene if only for a little while.

Entering the relative quietness of the outer hall, Gimli slammed his first down on the nearest available stone, ignoring th jolt of pain that resulted. If he thought at this point that ringing the life from Addrodoc's neck would help the situation, he would gladly do so. Yet what if the spell effecting the elf could only be lifted for by Addrodoc's hand?

Pacing back and forth, Gimli hardly noticed the single audience member he had gathered. 

~*~

Legolas raged against unseen and invisible barriers. When he had first started to lose control of himself he had not realized it, so subtle was the continual loss, yet now he was very much aware of where he stopped, and the thing within him began. It was like being detached from oneself, yet still present within - his own body becoming a cage from which he could not escape. A piece of him, the part that had been utterly ruined and contaminated by Addrodoc's words and drink, placidly submitted to the human priest's will, while the rest of his soul was forced to witness the affects.

The elf had never felt more vulnerable or frustrated before, and his own lack of control over matters ignited a savage fury within him, making him beat his fists again the invisible walls that contained him. Breathing heavily, despite his outward calm, Legolas' eyes scanned over everything, a keen degree of panic building that he was no longer sure he could repress. He _hated_ feeling trapped; closed in.

Yet, no matter what means he tried to employ, escape proved futile. He could not seem to get the chains upon him to recede even a little. Throwing himself again his restraints proved to only batter his shattering confidence and exterminate his hopes for freedom. It was a crushing loss - yet one Legolas refused to accept. In this battle for his soul, he could not accept the impossible odds that he faced.

Even as he watched Gimli storm from the room, Legolas felt another pillar removed from him. In his own confusion and dread the thought of Gimli abandoning him sent him into a cold sweat. He could not do this alone - a hard concession for the normally very independent elf to make. 

What if the dwarf did simply leave? Their friendship was something that was still relatively new, and although during the quest they had learned to reply on one another Legolas was not sure how much that pact of comradery would last, given these circumstances. The elf tried to repress the thought, unsure of weather it was his own or merely the drug that had been given to him playing on his insecurities. He was never sure.

He had locked a part of himself away from that which sought to ensnare him completely, continued to try and fight it - yet he did not know how much of that fight was a mere illusion his mind fabricated as the process continued forward. His own lack of knowledge and intelligence was enough to make him scream in rage.

Then Addrodoc appeared, smiling that condescending, power filled smile. Legolas looked up at the standing human, wanting to simultaneously attack him and flee him. Though it grated much on the elf's pride, deep down he knew that he was afraid of this man who could control him, who looked upon him with crazed eyes, and who wished to make him into something the elf knew not. Yet neither of these impulses were carried through. The elf merely sat there docilely, looking up at the human with soft eyes that hid the raging storm beneath them.

"Here, my Lord. It is hot in here. Drink," the man prodded, and as the thing in charge of Legolas shifted his gaze down he was once again confronted with the amber liquid in a cup. _No_, his mind screamed trying to force his hand into stillness, even as it rose to accept the vile concoction. His felt his fingers close around the cool stem of the goblet, taking on its weight.

For a moment he paused completely, and Legolas felt a wave of jubilation well up within him at the thought that he might be at least somewhat in control yet. The glass remained frozen in the air, mid-way to his lips, hovering as it reflected his own uncertainty.

Addrodoc frowned. "You are very strong-willed, but I would expect nothing less from you. Why must you make this all so difficult?" he sighed, sounding as tired and weary as Legolas felt. Then, in mockingly slow motions, the human priest reached under the cup, helping the thing he was trying to create lift the goblet to Legolas' lips.

Legolas felt tears of frustration welling up in his eyes, tears of genuine fear, tears of self loathing and disgust that he could not be stronger, as the small piece of himself that had delayed the process lost its battle, and a sugary sweet taste slowly drifted into his mouth. _No_, he yelled his denial - trying to force himself to cough what he had in his mouth back out. Yet it was not to be. The thing made him swallow, and another part of himself became lost...

~*~

Gimli halted suddenly as he realized he was being watched. Swivelling quickly on his heels he turned sharply, only to stop in confusion as his gaze fell upon the young, spindly youth who had guided him to Arod's enclosure the night before. The boy stared back at him with wide sea-blue eyes, that seemed almost too large for his small angular face. For a moment neither said anything.

"Well?" Gimli finally bellowed. He had not meant to snap so, but he was angry and sleep deprived, and a situation he had once felt comfortable with was rapidly spiralling out of his control. All these people were his enemy, whether directly or indirectly.

The boy flinched, and he began to chew his bottom lip in slight apprehension. Then, as if he had just completely thrown his feet from beneath him, he collapsed to the floor at Gimli's feet, the resounding smack as he hit the stone floor making Gimli wince. The dwarf watched with resigned irritation as the child kissed the ground near his feet, before the blonde head once again rose slightly so that Rulif was not looking up at him from the floor.

"You are very sad. Sad, sad, sad," the boy mumbled quietly, sympathy shining in his expression.

Gimli's shoulders slumped as he lost some of the boiling energy that had been rising in him. Shaking his head slightly he beckoned for the youth to stand, certain that he could not deal with another servant remark today. His own pride was still stinging with injury.

"Yes, boy," he said dejectedly, "I am sad."

"For your master," Gimli stiffened as he was once again designated the roll of a servant, "for what he must give for us? For what he must do?"

"More like what has already been done to him," Gimli corrected airily, not really paying attention to what was being said, more concerned with his own situation.

"Ah," the boy replied seriously. "I see."

The two sunk down, sitting side by side, along one of the smooth, cool walls. They stared ahead, not really seeing what was in front of the them, and simply engrossed in their own thoughts.

"It will help us. Help make the land grow," the boy tried to explain, as if he thought Gimli did not understand the full picture.

"I know you believe that boy," Gimli said stiffly. "But my friend contains no magic. He wields none of the magical powers you would attribute to a god. I think as soon as you all fully realize this then this farce can end." This thought gave the dwarf some relief. Legolas would not be able to fulfill these peoples dreams and as soon as that happened, hopefully, they would no longer think him a god.

Rulif frowned; the boy's face scrunched in up into thought as he seriously debated Gimli's words. "What is this of magic? We want no magic from him."

Gimli froze upon hearing this. It had been a natural assumption to make that for Legolas to revive the land he would require some sort of magic - yet if that were not the case... the thoughts trailed off in confusion.

"Well what do you bloody well want from him?" Gimli said, unable to hide his irritation.

Rulif then turned his head so that he was looking at the dwarf. His eyes had once again adopted a sad, tragic sort of quality to them and Gimli felt his first real tinglings of fear. He suddenly realized that the situation had become much more dangerous then he had first supposed it to be. He sat straighter and looked back at the boy, hating the dely that came with the answer. He realized then he might be asking the wrong question, and haltingly he asked further,

"What is the Ritual of Regeneration?"

The boy frowned. "My mama said she does not like the ritual. It was not written of before Addrodoc became the high priest. It was only then that he discovered it in the ancient texts. She does not like Addrodoc. I think she is afraid of him - but when she starts talking, papa tells her to be quiet. That such talk is dangerous."

It somehow boosted the dwarfs spirits to know that not all in the town approved of the mad priest. "But the ritual, boy? What of the ritual?"

"At dusk - when the fire of the sun dies. When darkness once again stretches across the sky," the boy began, obviously repeating something he had been told often. "There upon the alter shall the sacrifice be made - and with the blood of creation, the blood of the Life-Giver, shall the earth bloom anew."

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Reviewer Responces:

Sirithiliel ~ Hehehe. I can finally spell your name without checking to make sure I have done it correctly or not, lol. Took me long enough didn't it? I know what you mean about not finding the time to write. I have been kept very busy too. What with working, school and clubs. Poor Legolas. He just ha no control over the web of lies and drugs he has fallen into. LOL – thanks for offering to send in backup to help Gimli. The dwarf would be more then happy with the help since he too is over his head. Fading Hope is coming – I know I am saying that a lot but it is true, lol. So pleased I am your longest review yet, lol. Very honored.

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merrylyn ~ LOL. Yeah. I have got this idea for a vignette about Legolas' first reaction to hearing Gimli snore in my head and I might actually write it up eventually. LOL. I could not help but include it. Yeah – I think it is very obvious now that Addrodoc is one sick puppy and that he is obsessed with for-filling this notion of the prophesy he has created. He is off his rocker. ROFL – you can borrow Legolas any day of the week and go swimming with him in the ivy pool room, lol. Yeah – poor Gimli is really taking the brunt of this worship thing, lol. It is really going to try the dwarf's patience – something he doesn't have in leaps and bounds as it is. Poor dwarf – but eLLe and I have come up with some really funny methods Gimli is going to employ to try and save Legolas – but I will say no more because I don't want to ruin the surprise. If you ever publish something I will buy a copy. I look forward to reading your piece. Thanks again for all your encouragement and, as always, hilarious review. 

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Jedi Cosmos ~ eLLe and I decided that we had to give you guys a real look as to what is going on in Legolas's head, to make you understand more fully that although a part of him is simply the numb zombie there is still the feisty elf we all know burning beneath the surface. Yeah – Addrodoc is *very* possessive of our elf – in a way that any power, hungry individual would be when he see the chance for advancement. It is very creepy I agree with you. What do you think of the final outcome of the ritual, lol. Bet it was not quite what you were expecting. *evil grin* Anyway there are only like four chapters left to go so soon everything will be wrapped up. Also thank-you so much for reviewing one of my vignettes! I am pleased you enjoyed it – it is probably the best thing I have written yet. Thanks for your continued support.

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Ryoko: the Welsh Elf ~ Have I mentioned I love your pen name. It is really original. ROFL. Addrodoc is a girl in drag, huh? LOL. Now that is putting such a twist of the mental image I have of him. I understand about the research aspect of cult joining and I would gladly suffer beside you as an elf worshipping member – in the name of research, lol. Aren't we just a pair of selfless martyrs! ^_^

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Bookworm2000 ~ Yep – evil guys always get the comeuppance – at least that is my experience. Poor Gimli. This is not his fic. Interesting theory about the drink wearing off. I love reading peoples guesses. I am always impressed by how many people are on the right track even when they don't realize it. Thanks for your continued reviews.

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Manders1953 ~ LOL. Yes things are just falling apart now. But everything will be neatly wrapped up in four more chapters so don't worry the suspense can't last that much longer. ^_^

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Lisette ~ YIPPEE! You came and reviewed this story. Yeah – poor Legolas – when he returns to normal (if he does) he is going to have some serious guilt issues. Poor elf. The things eLLe and I put him through. Your right on with the drink thing. As soon as Gimli realizes that things will improve drastically, don't you think, lol. You are probably right, Aragorn would certainly find some ways of forcing Legolas to return to his normal self – and as Aragorn is more of a healer he might recognize the signed that Legolas is being drugged more quickly then Gimli himself is. I agree with you completely that the god-like routine is sickening – lol – but it is crucial to the plot for now. Really funny that you would mention the knocking him out and carrying him out of town thing – since it was one the dwarfs thoughts in this chapter, lol and I wrote it just before I got your review. Anyway, I got a kick out of it. Thanks for your insights! ^_^

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Elberethia ~ ROFL. You can have the shirt since Legolas did not want it. You should have heard the snorts he made when I started writing about it – and then he refused point blank to put it on for me… stubborn elf. Yeah – Addrodoc has got a few screws loose. He is a grade A wacko. Avenge away!

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Pirate-chicha ~ I was having problems reviewing thing recently too. That is why I always type up my reviews in a word processor and then copy and paste so that way if they don't go through then I can just retry without losing what I wrote – because that is so frustrating. Yeah – poor Legolas is just no longer himself at all – poor Gimli with having to figure out a way to deal with him. I love long reviews so don't worry about 'blabbing', lol. I will try to update 'Fading Hope' soon. Thanks for your review.

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Gwyn ~ LOL. Loved the good god remark. Yep – poor Gimli. He is completely saddled with a confused elf who thinks himself a deity. Poor dwarf. I am really glad you seem to be enjoying this that much. It means a lot to me… talking of updates… you aren't seriously going to abandon some of your stories, right? Your bio page was lying to me, wasn't it? I mean I don't mind that you take a while to update – just as long as you eventually finish your stories – but I guess a lot of your fans are telling you that, *sigh*. Well if you don't continue them I hope you keep posting more cute vignettes.

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LalaithoftheBruinen ~ LOL. That sounded so urgent – as if your life depended on me updating, lol. I am glad you are enjoying it that much and I hope this chapter provided you with relief. *gobbles up plot bunnies* Thanks for the energy boost! ^_^

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Star-Stallion ~ LOL. A photo shrine, huh? That must be something to see. ROFL. I agree with you completely… freaky is the *perfect* term for Addrodoc. Trust me – you are not the only person who is lusting after his blood, lol. Most of my reviewers seem to be foaming at the mouth at the mere thought of him. When the story is done you can have whatever remains of him, lol. Okay?

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Shlee Verde ~ LOL. Yeah – Legolas is in desperate need of the dwarf help. You are right you know… I have not read many stories where Gimli is the hero. I had not thought of that. ^_^ I love that dwarf so I enjoy giving him the spot light from time to time. Glad you are enjoying it!

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Karri ~ LOL – I have obsession with the notion of possession or mind alteration. I think it is fascinating – and I am glad you approve. Yes, Gimli is going to have to do something quickly if he wants Legolas to live through this, lol. The next chapter will answer more of those questions. Thanks for your review.

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Artemisa ~ Exams every month!? Do you mind if I ask from where in the world you are from? You don't have to answer because it is a personal question I am just curious about what school system you are in. I am from Canada. ^_^ I am so pleased you liked that last chapter – as is eLLe. I love writing things that my regular reviewers enjoy – it makes it so much more rewarding – if that makes sense. Thanks for your review!

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Rosie ~ You pushed us to the 60 review mark! Thanks so much. I was hoping one other person would review before I posted this chapter. Trust me when I say that you are not the only person who is detesting Addrodoc at the moment, lol. It seems most of my reviewers are foaming at the mouths and trying to kill him. Addrodoc actually translates into 'Gordon'. I went to one of those name translator sites and was typing in random guy names till I found one that I liked for the priest. ^_^


	6. Chapter 5: Gimli to the Rescue

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Welcome all to the next chapter! Sorry for the small delay in posting it! The last chapter gave me the most reviews I have ever received for a single post. Thanks so much everyone and again there are notes for you all at the bottom (I hope I got everyone!).

Someone asked me if Addrodoc's name meant anything and so here is the story behind that. I went to this site (h t t p:// www. lotruk . com/) and went to their name translator game. I typed in various guys I know until I came up with a translation I liked. Addrodoc is actually the Middle-Earth equivalent to Gordon. Don't get me wrong – I like the name Gordon and don't think it sounds evil at all (it's my dad's name!) it just worked for the priest when translated, lol. So check out the site by all means!

Also – I will do a bit of self-advertising. I have two vignettes posted – one involving Legolas and Eowyn (a bit of a tearjerker) and one involving the twins. I also have a longer adventure 'what-if' story for those of you who are gain. Please check them out if you so have the inclination.

Anyway – not much action here but it sets the scene for the next chapter which will be action packed… so here we go!

Chapter #5 ~ Gimli to the Rescue

Gimli spent another night within the grips of indecision, a sense of powerlessness gnawing at him ruthlessly and preventing him from finding respite within dreams. His heart thundered with anxiety, making sweat beads form upon his forehead and along the spine of his back. He could not, within the vast reaches of his imagination, find a way to envision a worse situation. It amazed him with the number of things that had simply gone wrong; how corned he now was within the grasps of fate - yet it was a path he refused to acknowledge or walk.

He _would_ find a way out of this mess.

Taking a deep breath to strengthen his resolve and chanting his final goal in his head multiple times, Gimli sat down. The temple was silent in the depths of the night, candles providing small dim pockets of yellow light which shone within the otherwise oppressive atmosphere. It was little consolation. The place seemed to be closing in on the dwarf who struggled against its weight, his body and eyes aching with weariness as the combinations of his lack of sleep accumulated. He wanted to sleep so badly, yet he denied himself the privilege. Not until he had figured a way out of this mess.

Stifling a yawn the dwarf leaned his head back against the cool stone. After the initial shock of the sacrifice revelation had sunken in, Gimli had almost dissolved into a state of utter panic, and it was only the years of warriors training that forbade such responses in his past that kept him from giving into it. These madmen were going to kill the elf.

He had to warn Legolas of course, but the more he considered actually doing this, the more he questioned it. Legolas was quiet obviously _not_ himself. The elf was something between a puppet and slave, so what he would do with such information was a mystery to Gimli. In all likelihood he might not care. Which meant that something else would have to be done, but what?

It was this question that plagued Gimli and robbed him of his sleep. He was accustomed to direct conflicts and actions, and his present situation went beyond what he had ever encountered before. How was he suppose to return that blasted elf back to his original, arrogant, flighty self?! 

Grunting in frustration, Gimli once again lumbered to his feet, storming down the length of the hall to turn about sharply and retrace his steps. The restless pacing helped starve off the desire to sleep but did not assist the dwarf with acquiring a plan of action. Sighing in frustrated defeat he doggedly returned to the main hall where Legolas slept peacefully.

Scanning the surroundings Gimli was slightly heartened to see no signs of Addrodoc, and letting that small victory drive him forward he prepared himself to once again face the elf. Approaching loudly Gimli frowned when the elf did not stir. Normally Legolas would have woken at the slightest movement or sound, but even with the dwarf _purposefully _being loud there was no reaction.

Reaching over Gimli firmly shook a shoulder. The elf stirred slightly, his eyes drooping open slowly, making Gimli realize somewhat belatedly that he had been sleeping with them closed, a telling factor as to how unlike himself he truly was.

"Gimli?" came the groggy question.

"Yes, Legolas, it is I. We need to speak."

"Where are we?" Legolas asked, sitting up slowly and rubbing his arms as though they pained him. 

Gimli frowned. He did not know how to deal with this. "We are in the temple. Do you not remember?"

Legolas blinked, his eyes reflecting the dim lights and shining eerily as he stared at the dwarf. "Yes," he said after a moment of silence. "Yes, of course, the temple."

"Right," the dwarf said eyeing him uncertainly. "Anyway, lad, the point is that we have run out of time. These people don't just want to worship you. Do you know how they plan to rejuvenate their lands? By spilling your blood upon them!" Gimli said quickly, hoping that for sheer shock value alone it would somehow reach his friend.

The elf blinked. "If that is what they require of me, then I shall give it."

The dwarf felt his mouth fall open as the realisation of just how controlled Legolas was hit him. "We are taking about the end of that _immortal_ life of yours!" he repeated, completely dumbfounded.

"For a cause though. For the land and for these people. I have a duty to give them. I will not flinch from that fate if that is what it is to be," Legolas replied collectedly.

Gimli felt his breath coming out short. He stared at the elf feeling all the protests and threats he desired to yell die on his lips. He realized that it was beyond that now. It was pointless. Legolas was hidden somewhere from him and what he talked to at the present was merely the priests pawn - a willing lamb at the slaughter. 

Dejectedly Gimli sat once again upon the floor. He was once again back at square one. He knew the chances of talking actual sense to Legolas had been slim to none, but he had hoped all the same. He jumped slightly when he saw Legolas slid down beside him. The elf was watching him with a concerned expression, his face mournful as he watched Gimli's obvious distress.

"This displeases you," Legolas stated more then asked.

"You are my friend, though you are sometimes more trouble then you are worth," Gimli huffed, "so of course the thought of you dying a pointless death bothers me. Would not my death bother you?"

Legolas frowned. "You are a mortal. I have always had to face the fact that one day you will die; though even foresight and knowledge will not ease my grief when you pass on."

The words gave the dwarf some comfort. "You do know you are not yourself, right?" the dwarf probed.

"Yes, I know," Legolas said softly, the admittance obviously something difficult for him to make.

"Well, at least that is something." A small something, but something nonetheless. The elf seemed at least partially himself at the moment. Sighing Gimli continued to try and plot, racking his brain for any sort of plan - yet none conveniently formed for him. 

The duo sat in the darkness for a countless period. Both silent and involved within their own thoughts. It was to this scene that Addrodoc arrived to witness. The priest frowned as he observed the friends sitting cross-legged upon the floor, side by side. For the life of him Addrodoc could not comprehend the friendship. He could not understand how something of such light, as Legolas was, could mingle with something that crawled within the deep caverns of the earth. They were such opposites, and yet the dwarf would not abandon the elf and the elf would not allow the dwarf to be cast from the temple, even under the influence of the drugged drink. It was as frustration to the priest as it was baffling.

Strolling forward confidently he ignored Gimli, focussing his attention upon the elf. Reaching forward he offered the cup he carried wordlessly to Legolas. It was taking alarming amounts of the drug to keep the elf in check now, and Addrodoc was finding that he was having more and more difficulties keeping Legolas under his influence. It was a good thing that the sacrifice would only be in two days time, for the elf seemed to be developing ways to counter the effects of the drink and Addrodoc was not sure for how much longer it would be potent.

Watching Legolas slowly and obediently accept the cup and drank its contents, Addrodoc smiled. So soon everything that he had predicted would come to pass. He would bring salvation to his people, purge them of their imperfections and offer them a fresh start with this offering. He affectionately patted Legolas' head, amazed again that he was alive to witness such things.

Ignoring the growl of protest the dwarf made as he touched the elf's hair, Addrodoc spoke. "You have had a long and difficult day, my lord. You are in need of your rest. Sleep now."

Legolas did not hesitate and rose obediently to crawl back onto the dais that served as his bed, pulling a pillow up and curling into it. His eyes closed quickly and within seconds his breathing had developed a steady rhythm, he became oblivious to the rest of the world once more.

Addrodoc lovingly pulled up the quilt over the elf's shoulder's, making sure he was completely covered and would be comfortable for the remainer of the night. Only then did he turn to look at Gimli, glaring momentarily before turning and sweeping from the room once again.

Gimli remained seated, blinking his eyes as he replayed what he had just witnessed in his head. A sudden image came back to him of the elf trying to shove a cup into his hands and demanding a drink. Gimli cursed himself! Of course! What better way to drug someone then within the contents of a cup!

Resisting the urge to slap himself for not having seen the truth earlier Gimli stood up and went over to Addrodoc's workbench. Much of the tables contents meant nothing to Gimli but what he did look for he recognized. The smell - he remembered it now. It had been sickly sweet in scent, a smell that now clung to the elf, almost like roses but more artificial then that. 

Opening various flasks upon the table Gimli smiled when he found the correct one. The smell was unmistakable. Holding the flask Gimli considered his next move. Walking quickly across the room he removed his spare water flask from his saddle bag. Pouring the drugged drink into the nearest flower pot his then proceeded to fill it once again with the contents of his own drinking flask. There would still be some of the contaminated drink it here but that would help to preserve the smell and colour of the original mixture. With any luck, Addrodoc might not notice the change. 

Task completed Gimli once again returned the flask to the table where it had been. He then stopped to consider his next move. What he had done was something, yet it was still not enough. He had only today, the next night and the following day to find a way to get the elf to safety. Taking a deep breath and realizing that he was doing himself no favour by depriving himself of sleep, he returned to the elf's side and lay down and slept.

~*~

The next morning came to quickly and Gimli found himself feeling more then a little disappointed. Addrodoc had appeared the next morning with more of the drink and the dwarf had been quick to realize that he had entered the room carrying it. He had another supply of it somewhere. Cursing Gimli had then spent the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon trying to track it down.

He had to admit to himself that he was not doing a lot and that there were probably more productive things he could be doing, but Legolas was once again surrounded by praying people and the dwarf could hardly do anything in the presence of so many. He would have to wait - though it was not something he relished doing. He had little choice.

He started to begin to stalk Addrodoc, following the human priest from room to room. It was gratifying to see that this newest tactic seemed to at least be aggravating the human - though it was still not enough. It was mid-afternoon before the priest snapped.

"Why do you follow me!?" he bellowed, shattering the quietness of the room they were currently in. His eyes bulged silently as he screamed, and strained lines formed around his mouth.

Gimli smirked and folded his arms casually across his chest. "I would think that would be obvious," he stated nonchalantly, enjoying seeing the usually collected individual become undone. "I am watching you."

"Yes, but why?! Why in gods name must you watch me!?" he bellowed only looking the more enraged at the dwarf's collected reply.

"Because you can't be trusted. Because you are a traitorous madman who seeks to injure my friend and I will not let you do so." The words were spoken lowly, the threat behind them obvious. Gimli would prefer nothing better at this point then to simply hurl the human priest into the nearest wall - and yet, while he had Legolas in his power, the dwarf was concerned over what the repercussions such actions would entitle.

The human growled. "Madman, am I? I am a visionary, though I do not doubt that a gnome such as yourself could ever understand that. Fine. Watch if you will. See true history and art unfold. You might learn something from it."

"Spilling blood is never an art," the dwarf replied levelly. "Taking life does not give it."

"That goes to show how little you know. How often must the individual give himself for the benefits of the many? How many times in history has the soldier thrown himself upon the sword for his captain? The father gone without bread, so that his children might eat? Life is about taking, in order to benefit the rest. To say otherwise is naive, or in your case it might simply be stupidity," the human said, passion and conviction melded into his voice.

"You are insane," Gimli hissed. "We helped you in a show of friendship. Your life was owed to us by honour for our deeds. If you were so noble, as you pretend to be, then it would be you upon that alter and your blood upon the ground."

"My blood is not worthy enough, and if it was I would not hesitate to give it. It was Legolas who was foretold of. It is he to whom the land will respond." As the human spoke he crossed the room and poured something from a flask into a goblet. Gimli felt himself lurch in realization that he had found the second supply. Crossing the room quickly he purposefully knocked into the table.

The sudden jarring movements sent everything rolling. Only Addrodoc's quick reflexes caught the goblet, but the main flask tipped over and rolled off the edge, crashing to the ground and shattering.

Cursing the human priest glared at the dwarf. "Look! Look at what your clumsiness has done," he accused.

Gimli shrugged, completely unaffected by the sharp tone, as he attempted to repress his smile. "Oops."

Glaring daggers at the smaller dwarf, the human turned sharply and left the room, carrying the goblet with him. Gimli, feeling an overwhelming degree of smugness, followed after him, a bounce present in his step that had not been there prior.

The dwarf watched placidly as the human returned to the main hall, all but storming up the length of the chamber to reach Legolas' side. He shoved the goblet into Legolas' compliant hands and watched angrily as the elf obediently drank it all.

__

That is the last time he poisons your mind, my friend. Gimli promised quietly. The small victory gave the dwarf a sense of completeness, but it still did not solve the problem entirely. He did not know how long it would take the elf to return to his normal self and he had to keep in mind that he was running on a deadline.

Yet now that he knew that Legolas would eventually wear off the drugs, else why would the man continue to replenish the drug supply in the elf's system, all he had to do was find a way of getting himself and Legolas out of the town. As he watched the ceremony continue, an idea slowly took shape in Gimli's mind. For a moment he simply winced as he realized what he would have to do to pull it off... but if it worked then it would have been worth it. 

An escape plan had finally been formed.

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Reviewer Responses:

LalaithoftheBruinen ~ Congrats, you get the honor of being the first reviewer for the last chapter, lol. Which means I talk to you first. Your sanity, huh? Well since so much is on the line I will do my best not to disappoint. I am trying to keep updates at around one a week, but that is rough and subject to change. Thanks for the continued encouraging cheers!

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Gwyn ~ Yeah – I am having to make things serious now. Well for the moment anyway – I am still trying to include an element of humor… but it is rather hard to do when I am also getting ready to chop up Legolas. Well once the action is over maybe I will include one or two more punch lines and get you laughing again. – that is if it has a happy ending. I am glad you are willing to give Legolas a little leeway., and lets all hope Gimli-to-the-rescue comes quickly! ^_^

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Karri ~ Yep, poor Gimli. The pressure is on so lets see how the dwarf handles the raised stakes. I am really enjoying writing a Gimli hero story. – there are too few of them out there.

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Elberethia ~ LOL. Because blood is what keeps you reviewers coming back for more, lol. At least that is my guess. Yeah, the 'Mellon Chronicles' have character angst and pain perfected to a fine art – a level of which I will never reach, lol. 

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Jedi Cosmos ~ Yes, finally I have revealed all, *cackles evily*. Well, we all just get a lot of pleasure out of causing that elf pain for some reason… don't know why that is but, *shrug* it is the way things are.You said 'once' Gimli saves Legolas… who said anything about him succeeding? WOW – brave and intrepid individual – digging into a 29 chapter story that you know I am having problems finishing, lol. But thanks – that is quite the compliment to me to know that you *want* to read my stuff. Thanks for your review!

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Rosie ~ Yeah… I was wondering how many people were thinking sacrifice… from the reviews a couple of you were guessing at it but for some it came as a complete shock, lol. Wow – you put a lot of thought into the names… I kind of just string letters together sort of, lol. But, incase you didn't see the main note above, I got Addrodoc from . Hope that helps you.

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Lisette ~ I make no attempts or excuses – I AM A SICK INDIVIDUAL – lol. My sister has been telling me that for years and I have just been smiling back and threatening to put tarantulas in her bed. Hehehehe. I am glad you did not see it coming. I wanted to build it up and keep you guessing so I am glad I can still throw in a few curved plot twists to keep this from being predictable. Your right though – it does somehow feel extra wrong to want to sacrifice an elf – something so pure and beautiful. I had not thought of it along those lines… but it does seem to enhance the nature of the crime. Addrodoc is creepy – there is just no other way to describe him. He is obsessive and what makes it worst is that he thinks he is doing the right thing – so he is not only creepy, but self-righteous too. Not a nice combination. I have been having fun getting into his head as a character. He is one of the first real OC characters I have ever developed in a fan-fiction story – so it has been interesting. Well Gimli has finally realized that he is running against a very fine timeline – so yes you are going to see him pulling out all the stops to try and figure a way out of this mess. I am glad you are willing to give Legolas a little leeway. Both Gwyn and you were more willing to pounce at Legolas then Addrodoc which I found hilarious. Anyway – that was a *really* long note so I will shut up now, lol.

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Artemisa ~ LOL. Most school systems exploit you one way or another! My tuition fees this year cost more then I earned all summer working – thank god my parents help me out financially. Okay – sorry – that was my rant and I will stop now. LOL. eLLe loves tormenting you all as much as I do which makes it worst. If you think that cliffhanger was bad – then you ain't seen nothing yet, *evil grin*.

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Sirithiliel ~ You are one of many who is threatening to harm Addrodoc… I am getting the impression that you guys don't like him for some reason, lol. Trust me when I say that Gimli is now seriously aware of the full picture and will do all in his power to stop – let's hope it is enough. Oh! Wow. You have done a tone on Fading Hope – more then I managed to do after a month of working on it, lol. I look forward to seeing your version of it and thanks again for helping me. LOL. FIRE! Sorry – could not help but finish that. ^_^

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Ryoko: the Welsh Elf ~ Oh! I sympathize completely with the number after your penname thing. I post poetry and stories under the pen name "Jade" on fp.net and my name is now "Jade6". I hate that number thing. It drives me nuts. ROFL – yes… I agree that it is probably best we leave the fan girl version of the ritual silent… *giggles*… I have sworn never to write a romance or Mary Sue story so… we will leave things as they are. LOL. I like the new theory too – let's hope Gimli is up to it. Yeah – Gimli is not going to be going anywhere any time soon – unless he has an elf slung over his shoulder!

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Bookworm2000 ~ LOL. I am glad that you are interested in Tolkien related stories rather then crush related ones! If you see any mistakes in our research about Fangorn, then please feel free to point it out. I am glad to know that I have someone who is knowledgeable in these things reading – it will keep me on my toes. Yeah – now it is all up to Gimli's problem solving abilities, lol. Poor dwarf – he is not discreet and very observate. You're right when you say people are not his foray. Yeah – it is pretty powerful stuff. Many of the reviewers seem more sympathetic to our elf now that they have seen things from his perspective. Thanks for your continued support!

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Chanra ~ I am so glad you like it, *grin*. LOL. Thanks for the pointers when it comes to sacrificing Legolas. Addrodoc has this all planned out – don't you worry and nothing will get it his way. He is a determined little critter. LOL. You are one of many who is threatening that priests life, lol. No one seems to like him. Thanks for your review! ^_^

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merrylyn ~ I am glad you like Gimli. Of all the characters I think I have the hardest time grasping and portraying him – and eLLe is right down scared of him, lol. So we both struggle with portraying him – so it is nice to know we are doing all right if nothing else. Yay – dwarves do seem to have a higher tolerance for blood pressure then we do – don't they? LOL. Little highly strung munchkins. Well – I think it is safe to say that Legolas is pushing the boundaries of Gimli's patience. I mean some of my reviewers were wanting to hit the elf, lol – so imagine where Gimli is standing on the issue! 

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fliewatuet ~ Yippee! I am glad that you decided to review – and the perk of reviewing is that you now get your own personally addressed note from me. (^_^) LOL. I know! Having Gimli servant remarks is just pushing the dwarf over the edge, lol. We are having fun with that but in the end it is going to serve a major part of the story – but I don't want to ruin anything so I will say no more. I know! Sacrificing Legolas is *so* criminal. Lets all hope Gimli succeeds in rescuing him.

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Star-Stallion ~ LOL. Fair deal. He is all yours after Gimli is through with him – tattered remains and all. ROFL. I love the fact that there are grades to posters in your rooms… categories. I also think you brilliant for not putting Grima anywhere near Legolas – as that would just be wrong, lol. Thanks again for reviewing.

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Elfling ~ It is okay about reviewing. I too am having problems keeping on top of things here at ff.net what with school and life. LOL – you think Legolas thinking himself a god adorable… that is so cute. Yep, Legolas is definitely in need of a hug – but I am sure you reviewers are up to that challenge. ELLe and I plan to leave other canon characters out of this story… maybe if we do a sequel we will use them, but not in this one… they are on their own. Anyway thanks for not one review but *two*. That got me so excited.

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Niori ~ I understand completely. This is a busy time of year and as much as we would all love to live on the net twenty-four seven I do realize you all have obligations and commitments in real life that interferes with you reviewing, lol. Yep, they want to kill Legolas – is that not criminal! Let's hope Gimli can kick high enough to reach their butts, lol. If not I am sure you will jump into the fic and help out. Thanks for the review.

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Ria2 ~ Oh. You think it is fabulous… *gets dewy eyed* I love people thinking my writing is good – that makes butterflies appear in my stomach and dance there happily. I am glad I am doing a good job with Gimli's character. I find him difficult to write which is why I was a little bit worried about starting a story that really has him staring as the main character. Hope I didn't leave you dying in suspense for to long and that you enjoy this chapter as well.

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evil spapple pie ~ YEAH! You are back! I was wondering where you had disappeared too. I hope your trip to Brisbane was better then you anticipated! Don't worry about reviews. I have been busy too and have not been posting so we are even, lol. Fading Hope… Sirithiliel wrote out the next chapter for me in an attempt to jump start my own ideas, lol (which was very sweet of her) but I have not had the time to invest into it recently. I think I am going to finish this fic since it is only like two or three more chapters and then start in on it again. I am not going to abandon it by any means and if you want to see the start of the next chapter then I will by all means mail it to you – but if you are busy I understand. Addrodoc is sickly sweet… I love that saying too… sickly sweet. I used it this chapter, lol. Addrodoc is striking a lot of people is a lot of different ways… interpret him in any manner you would like too, lol. I am just going to leave it up to you readers on how to interpret him. It does sound like a zombie place -–does it not… I remember hearing about that cult you mentioned too… it was said and as soon as you mentioned it I could see the parallel's you were drawing… there is still much going on behind the scenes. You are sort of finding things out as Gimli and Legolas do and neither of them are exactly clear in judgement right now. Legolas is drugged… that drink… it was something that came across openly in this chapter so hopefully that answered some of your questions. Gimli is taking action – slowly as he forms a plan. The next chapter is the escape attempt so you will see what Gimli is plotting, lol. You don't think I am evil enough to actually sacrifice him? Well we will see if your confidence is well placed or not. That was the longest review I have ever received – I was so excited when I saw it there – so thank-you so much. Best of luck with your homework!


	7. Chapter 6: The Great Escape

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THANK-YOU EVERYONE! I HAVE HIT 100 REVIEWS! 

Sorry for the small delay in posting this chapter people. I am in the middle of my mid-year exams and as you can imagine it is a stressful time. I have a test worth 20% of my mark an hour and a half… *gulp*. Leave me reviews to cheer me up afterwards, lol.

Fading Hope Update… I know I have been promising you all one… but I have to be honest at this point. I don't have time for school and two stories at one time. So I plan on finishing this one since there is only really one and a half chapters left in it and then I will return to Fading Hope. Sorry for the wait everyone.

Disclaimer (just because I haven't put one up in a while): Nothing… Nada… Zip… Except Addrodoc! He is mine! ^_^

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Chapter #6 ~ The Great Escape

It was once again dark - time lumbering onward relentlessly granting no luxury to those who clung to rapidly waning seconds as though they were gold. Stars laced the outside sky almost taunting the fact that, for some, it would be the last time they shone. 

The hallways within the temple were silent in the night, their shadows still and unmoving in a lifeless state, making the world itself coalesce into a blank sheet of impenetrable blackness. The gradual increase in tapping footsteps against stone that first broke the peace; the telling signs of an impeding presence. The dim light of a candle rounded the bend chasing away the lingering darkness, forcing it to swirl from the path of the dwarf as he made his way purposefully forward. 

The moment of action had come. He had no more time.

Gimli had shed his travelling clothes and now donned a ceremonial toga, its violet and gold trim shining. His feet, now sandalled, were flopping creating clinking noises as the thin soul clicked first against his heal and then flapped downwards to hit the floor. Holding the candle straight and high above himself and trying to avoid the indignity of tripping over the hem of his toga, Gimli attempted to stride forward projecting an air of confidence and certainty which he was so far from actually feeling. So much was riding on the next few hours, and Gimli was not at all certain of his own abilities when it came to acting and deceit. 

Pushing open the main doors to Legolas' hall, he entered. The elf lay sleeping at the far end, bathed in moonlight. Near the oaken workbench sat a single attendant whose head shot abruptly up on hearing Gimli entre. 

It was these observers, the temples staff and the town's people who had presented the largest obstacle in freeing the elf from the clutches of the priest. It was for their benefit that Gimli was now so dressed (much to his own embarrassment) and it was for them that he would soon speak the part he had scripted himself.

The attendant flew across the room silently, frowning at Gimli for his disturbance, but the dwarf purposefully strode past him, brushing the man aside as though he was barely aware of his presence. Striding forward he reached Legolas' dias and, clearing his throat, he spoke the words that until now he had not been entirely sure he could say,

"Master, arise for the world has need of you." His voice echoed in the hall, deep and powerful, yet carrying a tone of reverence. The dwarf tried not to wince as the words came softly back to his ears while they flitted about the high ceiling. It took a moment, in which he had to swallow what remained of his shaky pride, before he could bring himself to go on.

"The world is calling and the Gods demand much, my Master. You must awaken and heed their call." Gimli watched as Legolas stirred, his eyes flitting open to regard the dwarf drowsily. 

"The Gods have called for me?" he asked dazed.

Gimli spared a quick glance at the attendant to see how the act was effecting their audience. The page was watching with large eyes, as though he had been granted a singular privilege in being able to witness the interaction. Gimli suppressed his smirk - so far everything was going as he had hoped and planned.

"Yes. They have spoken their will to me, your servant, and ask that I now prepare you for your destiny," Gimli finished, pulling the words from his head as they appeared. He was not entirely sure what he should be saying - but as long as what he did say lured Legolas from the temple and prevented any from questioning their purpose - he would be satisfied with the outcome.

Legolas sat up stiffly, his face looking alarmingly pale. He was not well - that much the dwarf could see. It pained Gimli to know that his friend was suffering, yet hopefully that pain would soon be ended. Puffing up his chest, Gimli reached forward and grabbed one of the elf's hands firmly. He was amazed at the coldness of the prince's skin. Gimli firmly led Legolas to his feet and started back towards the doors which had remained open.

Glancing back at the page he bellowed in a loud commanding voice, "Pray for the survival of your village and for the fulfilment of the Gods will. Pray until the darkness of the night melts into the noon of the coming day. None will disturb you from this task."

The man was quick to obey. He dropped to his knees and began to chant lightly under his breath as his eyes closed. The dwarf made these absurd proclamations in the hopes that the ruse would keep the man from reporting to Addrodoc, informing the mad priest that the dwarf had just walked out of the room with their elf God. 

Directing his unresisting friend, Gimli then started to put his previous days exploration to use -wandering the twisting hallways with growing confidence. Their familiarity was reassuring and their progress was also uninterrupted and eased by the fact that most were abed at this late hour. Gimli's confidence grew with each step that led them towards the exit of the temple. 

He immediately recognized the stately entrance hall and the final doors they would have to cross to leave the god-forsaken temple thankfully behind. He remembered it well. The first fateful morning he had pushed his way inside when trying to find the elf had left an impression. He strolled towards the blank wall, his fingers starting to search for the mechanism that would spring the door open. Pushing the unmoving stone, Gimli frowned with the first tinglings of self-doubt.

When he had been here earlier the previous day the temple doors had been held open allowing anyone to move freely to and from the temple, but now they were most certainly barred closed. He released Legolas, his free hand coming up to vainly join the search for a way out. The marble, smooth and perfect in its construction, was unyielding and jealously guarded its secrets. The stone remained quiet to Gimli's gentle probing.

This was a complication he had not been expecting.

He had assumed, perhaps rather prematurely, that this would be the simple part of their escape. How could opening a single door prove daunting?! Gimli grumbled quietly under his breath, brows furrowing down to distort his face into a picture of frustration. 

"Blasted thing," he breathed out, his search growing wider as he fumbled for a mechanism that might spring the lock. 

"I can hear the trees," Legolas' voice said suddenly, startling Gimli, who had almost forgotten that he was present in the face of this new adversary. 

"Not now, elf," he replied dismissively.

"They have been quiet for so long... How could I not have noticed their absence?" The self-reproachfulness in the tone the elf employed startled Gimli - a tone that was all to familiar and had been absent in the past few days in favour of the gentle, obedient voice Addrodoc had elicited from Legolas.

"Don't be to hard on yourself, lad. The past few days have tested us both, I feel," Gimli said in all honesty. "Besides, normally one would not boast over the claim of hearing trees speak! Only you elves seem to think it normal. Give me the ringing of hammer on stone any day above your wistful dreams of rustling leaves."

The elf smirked at this comment, his eyes holding a degree of life in them that made Gimli sigh in relief. "For only such a rustic din would be able to penetrate that head of yours," he replied casually, the familiar routine of their jibes coming back to each with surprising ease. "Better yet," Legolas playfully recommended, " knock the hammer against your own head to jar some semblance of sense back into it and so you might then be able to recognize and appreciate the sounds of nature's true harmony."

Gimli snorted. "I think one of us with our wits scrambled is quite enough for us to content with. I shall leave that role for you to continue filling I think. Now let us focus on the problem at hand. Do you know how to open this?"

When no reply came, Gimli twisted his head over his shoulder, his eyes seeking out his friend. Legolas stood still and listless once again, the previous spark of life in him having vanished as quickly as it had come. He had resumed the quiet obedient role of the mad priest's God. Gimli sighed. He suppose though it was a little much to hope that Legolas could be magically restored to his former self so quickly.

Still, it was good to know that beneath the zombie Legolas had become, he still existed. He would be restored to his former self soon. Focussing his attention once again back to the dilemma of the door, Gimli's features disintegrated back into a scowling expression. How can it be moved? The question swam in front of his exhausted eyes, mocking the utter silence which followed it. 

The situation was almost laughable. If only less had been riding on the outcome he might have dissolved into laughter. It was, decidedly, an entirely elfish inclination. This knowledge served to irritate Gimli all the more. He still did not fully know how he had come to trust and love the elf as he would a brother. It worried him to some extent. How would his people accept their friendship? He knew the road which he and Legolas would walk would not be an easy one... and yet he would not wish to change it. 

It seemed strange to Gimli, who had once held elves in general (and Legolas in particular) with an air of contempt. Now he knew the friendship he shared with Legolas would last until the end of his days. He would not choose to have it any other way. 

Doubts aside, Gimli slammed his fist against the stone. This action predictably failed to resolve the present situation. Clambering to his feet from where he knelt, Gimli attempted to do some very quick thinking. 

The echoing sounds of footsteps approaching alerted the dwarf to their impending threat of a witness to their attempted escape. Gulping down the urge to panic, he grabbed Legolas' hand once again and started to weave back through the corridors away from the individual. He did not need further complications at the moment, and trying to think up a suitable lie to give out was more then Gimli felt he could cope with.

Navigating the twisting maze of passages, the dwarf soon realized that there seemed to be a great deal of activity in the temple. Many people had risen from their beds and were now searching the hallways. His time was up - Addrodoc must have discovered that they had fled. 

Melting back into the shadows, Gimli blew out the candle he still carried, hoping that the darkness would grant them a few more precious minutes to plot an escape route. Yet even as he racked his brain, Gimli knew he was out of options. He had been outside the temple once, and he already knew there was but one exit point - the main doors, which at present were barred closed as if by some spell. Their time now was limited - there was only so long he and the elf could remain hiding within the building itself before they were caught. 

"Find them! Search everywhere!" Addrodoc's voice sounded distant, but that was of little relief. They were being hunted. Realizing that the chances of getting them both to freedom were slim, Gimli started to form another plan. He had to hide Legolas. These people were going to kill him in less then twelve hours and the least Gimli could do was try to buy Legolas some time to fight the drugs in his system so he could defend himself. Gimli quickly pulled Legolas into a new room and yanked the elf over to a cupboard. Flinging open the ornate doors he pushed aside its jumbled contents and thrust Legolas' unprotesting body into it. 

"Now, elf," Gimli began trying to make his voice sound as hypnotic as Addrodoc's did when he addressed the elf, "you must remain here. Exactly here. It is vital that you do so because... because..." Gimli floundered searching desperately for a reason that would convince the elven prince to obey. "... because it is the wishes of the God's that you do so," he finished, flustered and lamely. 

Legolas, scrunched into the rather small space looked at Gimli with confused eyes. "What of you?" he asked.

"I am going to lead them away from this section of the temple. It is not me these human's want to kill, so worry not. Just stay here and do not move." Risking no further interaction Gimli shut the doors, blocking Legolas from view. 

Muttering a quick prayer to the Valar, he turned from the room and fled, hoping that the rather ill-conceived rouse would work. Allowing the first human he happened upon to see him, he dashed down another hallway, leading the string of pursuers that followed from Legolas' concealed position.

Feet thundering, as all discretion was dropped, the dwarf barrelled down the corridors. He lost track of where he was and this disorientation cost him. Running through a doorway he found himself in a room with no other exits besides the one he had entered through and with his pursuers hot on his trial he was prevented from back-peddling.

Trapped.

Realizing that the chase was up, Gimli turned. His breath was coming in ragged and laboured pants, but he managed to retain his sense of stoic dignity nonetheless. He faced Addrodoc with his head held high and his eyes full of loathing.

"That was the stupidest thing you could have done, disfigured gnome!" the priest hissed, viciously through clenched teeth. The human's face was red with exertion but his eyes were alight with hatred, his expression twisted and sadistic. "Now where is the elf and I might yet be lenient with you."

"Gone. Escaped," Gimli lied easily - savouring the panicked expression that briefly crossed the human's face. "He will unfortunately be missing your little ceremony this coming evening," the dwarf continued smugly enjoying his small triumph.

"You lie. The seal of the temple was not breeched. Only I can open and close those gates. This deceit will cost you, worm." With a small nod of his head Gimli realized his mistake. So focussed had he been upon the human - his personal opponent in this adventure - that he had not been observing the others who had entered. He was grabbed roughly from behind, and a damp, foul smelling cloth was pressed to his mouth and nose. 

Struggling with someone twice his size proved difficult, as the arms which secured him held fast and strong against Gimli's wild bucking and twisting. As a boot roughly slammed down upon his own foot, Gimli sucked in a deep breath. This left his head spinning as fumes from the cloth entered his body. Trying to cough the poison back out only served to allow more of the polluted stuff in, as he wheezed through gritted teeth. 

Dizziness claimed him where he stood. The world was spinning - faster and faster... then nothing.

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Reviewer Responses:

Bookworm2000 ~ Well what did you think of Gimli's ultimate plan… even if it has gone somewhat opposite to what the dwarf had hoped for? LOL. You are right – it did sound like some warped version of a Tolkien chapter… hehehe… Would you mind if I called my last chapter that – giving you the full credit for inspiring me and all? I am glad you took the time to rip apart so of Addrodoc's views when it comes to life and death… I had fun trying to get you guys into his mind frame so he is not just a one dimensional character – I really appreciated reading some of your views on the subject. I love Gimli too. ^_^

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LalaithoftheBruinen ~ Hope Gimli's plot did not disappoint… and hopefully I managed to bring some of the humor back into this chapter. As always thanks for your support and enthusiasm for this story!

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Gwyn ~ ROFL. "Opps." I had fun with that line too. I could so visualize it in my head while I was writing. I am glad so many of you got a kick out of it too. Yes – and so I have revealed the escape… attempt at any rate – and you so predicted it would not work. Well there is only one chapter left after this one and then a short epilogue… so the next chapter will reveal all!

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Sparrow Greenleaf ~ LOL. SO Gimli has got a bit of a cheerleading squad thing happening, does he? Well I am sure he appreciates it! LOL. Addrodoc with a new hobby? He strikes me as the obsessive, compulsive type… though he might want to change professions after all you reader get through with him, lol.

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Nikki1 ~ I know I said this in my review to you… but it is still so weird. I was so obsessed with your story and then lost it when it changed areas… only to find it once again when you reviewed me… not once but twice *large grin*. I am glad you think this is original… I had not thought I had read any stories of its nature before and I wanted this to be unique. Glad I pulled it off. Hope the "crazy escape plan" did not disappoint you!

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Shlee Verde ~ I am glad you think I write Gimli well. I find him a tough character to understand and write so… it pleased me to know I have a somewhat firm grasp for writing him now at any rate. Glad you think this has an element of comedy – I was really shooting for that! Thanks for the review!

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Rosie ~ Sorry to have disappointed you with building up their escape only to have it fail, lol. I like being evil though. One chapter and an epilogue to go! So the story is almost done and soon you will know how it ends. 

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fliewatuet ~ I think it is the least I can do. I mean you guys all come here and take the time to write reviews for me… so even if I don't have much to say the least I can do is leave you a little thank-you note for your troubles. Glad you got a kick out of the "oops" line. I had fun writing that part! Hope Gimli's plan did not disappoint you after all the build up eLLe and I gave it, lol. I don't know if I told you but in some of my review notes I was leaving hints that the servant roll would come back to be a major part in this story, lol.

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Ryoko Lasgalen ~ Oh! If you can draw then by all means go ahead and bring that scene to life, lol. I would love to see it on paper! I love getting fanart! Giggle fits are healthy and ever since you mentioned the alternative universe version of this story I too have been prone to laughing out loud randomly when thinking on it. I am glad you are enjoying it so much! O_O Yummy! A Legolas shaped chocolate bar!? If that isn't motivation I don't know what is, lol. 

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Artemisa ~ I am so sorry to have made you wait… real life is getting really annoying, lol. I am in the middle of my mid-year exams now, lol. Glad you liked the last chapter. Um… yeah… Fading Hope. I think what I am going to do is finish this story since there is only one chapter and the epilogue left after this and then go back to my epic. Sorry to make you all wait but I just need time to sit on Fading Hope until inspiration comes back to me.

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HalandLeg4ever ~ I am glad you found and enjoyed, lol. I too could imagine Legolas being mistaken for a God, *dreamy sigh* - but I can admit that I am a totally obsessive fan girl so that would be my explanation for coming up with this idea, lol. Also it pleases me to know that I am building up the suspense! Thanks so much for your support and I hope you continue to review.

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Sirithiliel ~ Oh… Darkness Descending is almost over then is it. That is sad in a way because I was really enjoying it. I blush to say this but do to real life interfering and keeping me horribly busy (I am taking course overload this year with five and a half credits, volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, and working a part time job) and I have not yet read what you sent me. When I sit down to work on Fading Hope after completing this story I will read it through and I am sorry to say that – because I really appreciated what you did and how you helped me. Anyway – hope your school is going well!

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bunny-luver ~ Glad you like it! Such praise is music to my ears, lol. WOW – you think this one of the best Legolas and Gimli friendship fics out there!? Thank-you for that huge compliment. I am thrilled you like it that much! Hope it continues to impress you!

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White Wolf1 ~ Yeah – I know I just kind of left you hanging with Fading Hope. I felt bad for that but I needed a bit of a break on it. It was getting so long and complicated and so I felt if I could just write something cute and lighthearted for a while it would re-inspire me with Fading Hope. Glad you found humor merged with the suspense of this piece. I really wanted it to be funny. Don't worry about not reviewing right away… I mean I have been falling behind with all my reviews too (and leaving only short crappy ones when I do leave them at all) just because life has been so hectic. It is a busy time of the year. Glad to hear I am doing Gimli justice… this story really belongs to him just because you don't have many Gimli hero fics out there. Yes, I agree. What makes Addrodoc all the more dangerous is that fact that he thinks he is right. Means he will stop at nothing to see it done. Hope you continue to enjoy.

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Karri ~ I was looking at your bio page looking for another vignette to read and I saw you are writing a longer piece… how could I not have noticed that before!? I am really going to have to check that out… but forgive me if it does not happen right away. Real-life is keeping me hopping. Anyway – hope you enjoyed the escape attempt and thanks for the continued support.

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Star-Stallion ~ LOL. I know… my updates are getting further and further apart. I could get into my list of excuses… but well… the main thing is I should have gotten this up earlier, lol. Sorry for making you wait. LOL. Yes – Gimli was totally in gear in this chapter… in his intentions at least. As for actually escaping… well I hope this chapter didn't dash your hopes too much! LOL! Glad your target is ready because if you think Addrodoc has been bad up until now it is nothing to what you are going to think of him in the next chapter! LOL. Don't know what color your wall is, huh? Well it has at least got to be interesting! My walls are to blank and they are driving me nuts! Anyway – hope you enjoyed this chapter!

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Niori ~ You were the lucky review. Number 100! It was sitting on the edge of 99 and I kept checking hoping one other person would review… and low and below yours came in and I was literally dancing around my room, lol. I know that sounds pathetic but there it is. LOL. I am sure Gimli would be blushing to know he has a cheering squad, lol. Reviews make me write faster so keep them coming! ^_^

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merrylyn ~ Hey – don't worry about delays… I mean I am behind in all my reviewing too so it is not a problem. I understand how hectic real life can keep you. LOL. It was in that sort of category of annoying. I was trying to think up a subtle form of protestation and that just popped into my head… hence Gimli was following the priest around for half the chapter, lol. Your fears were well founded… Addrodoc does ruin everything. Glad my writing gives you some relief from the pressures and depression of real-life… my escape is in writing it, lol. Thanks for you review!


	8. Chapter 7: Concerning the Spilling of Bl...

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Hey all. This is the last chapter (a long one at that) and after there will only be a short epilogue which I hope will be posted in the next week.

A major thank-you to Bookworm2000 for coming up with this chapter's title. I think it is clever, catchy and brilliant. Also a thank-you is extended to Lyn for spotting an error in the last chapter. I meant the 'heel of a sole' when I was describing Gimli's sandal's flopping and not 'soul' and 'heal'. Nice attention to detail! (^_^) Also thanks to Shlee Verde for the plot bunny you left in your review. Look for it – it might have hopped its way right into this chapter!

Sorry for the delay in posting. My computer caught a virus and I was without a word processor for a while. But it is all better now!

Chapter #7 ~ Concerning the Spilling of Blood 

Legolas lay crumpled in the closest, trying to gain some semblance of control over himself. His heart was racing, though he was not out of breath, and within him warred a multitude of conflicting emotions. Desperation, guilt, fear, frustration all coalesced into a single jumble of thoughts, making his fists clench in irritation with himself. To move. Such a simple goal, and yet the attempts of completing it were leaving him physically shaking with weariness.

To move. Such a simple goal, one he had always taken for granted, and yet it was a goal that evaded the elf with a mocking sort of nimble grace making Legolas want to scream. _Move, _he commanded his mind once again, trying to pry his feet from their leaden positions. _Push open the door of the cabinet,_ came the primitive instructions, _pull yourself from this tomb and help your FRIEND!_ The last part of his own mental dialogue realized itself in a screech of frustration, something that surprised the elf; he was not accustomed to shrieking.

Yet his body would not obey these commands. It was no longer his to control. It sat stationary, apparently lifeless as it obeyed Gimli's parting command unwaveringly. No matter what Legolas attempted to do to prod his limbs into action they remained infuriatingly unresponsive. 

The elf could not so much as twitch a finger. 

As the drugs that had kept him within the swirling black mists began to clear they left him vulnerable and still lacking in control. As these toxins slowly cleared his system Legolas was also slowly becoming a fragment of his former self. The elven prince once again became aware of time - a luxury he realized he did not have. Anything could be happening to Gimli. The dwarf was alone out there facing who knew what and yet Legolas simply sat here... doing nothing. 

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You must be stronger, he attempted to reason with his traitorous body. _Gimli is in trouble. Your heart tells you this, and you know he will need you before the end._ It was a strange thought, Legolas decided, and one that left him feeling the first prickling sensations of dread making his skin accumulate goosebumps and a shiver rack his lithe frame. A premonition hit him with sudden brutally. Someone was going to have to die for this episode to find a close.

__

Just not Gimli, Legolas hoped silently, for the dwarf was the only true innocent in all of this. Gimli - the dwarf - proved to be more of a puzzlement to Legolas everyday. From the onset of the fellowship, Legolas had been all but determined to hate the dwarf with all he possessed. To his own credit, Legolas had begun this acquaintance with an air of hostility that would have made his father proud... and yet somewhere along the journey that hatred had melted into a sort of grudging respect and finally into a tender curiosity. Friendship followed.

A strange journey it had been. To think that a prince of Mirkwood would one day consider a dwarf a friend, the idea was preposterous. This notion would have sent most people he knew into fits of laughter and denial. Yet, here he was. Gimli was his friend and now in need of his help. Legolas could not ignore that, nor did he want to.

Pushing himself to the very limitations he was capable of in his drug induced state, he strained and focussed every ounce of concentration to fight against the hold upon him. _Move,_ he chanted, trying to force as much belief into the word as possible. _You must move._

Several unsuccessful minutes later, Legolas was ready to scream. He was not of a patient temperament and did not accept failure, especially from himself, with good grace. Legolas was, in fact, something of a perfectionist. This did not make his current situation the least bit easier to endure. He had to move now. Nothing less would satisfy him.

A smaller, more reasonable, area of his brain asked the nagging question of what he could do once he had managed to escape the closest. Surely the first order he received would, in all likelihoods, make him sit or heel upon command. And yet he had to try. He knew Gimli was in trouble and there was no one else present here who would be able to assist the dwarf... there was only Legolas... as depressing as the elf found that realization at present.

He sighed, desperately attempting to calm the raging anger within him, Legolas leaned his head back and hit it roughly against the side of the cupboard. He tried to force himself into some semblance of patience ... Wait! The realization was slow to sink in, but as it did, Legolas felt a shot of elevation ring through him. He had just moved his head of his own accord!

Trying the duplicate what he had just done, however, accomplished very little. The only aspect of his situation which had changed was that his head now ached slightly from the force of the blow he had given it. It did not improve the mood of the elf. 

It was so terribly dark inside the cupboard. The blackness reached greedily into the elf's eyes swallowing up his ability to see. Legolas was not good at coping with dark, enclosed spaces. _Don't think of it_, Legolas chided himself sharply. This, however, was something easier said than done. The blackness was so consuming and it greedily sapped whatever strength Legolas seemed to have left. Thick, like black molasses, it engulfed him in its heavy and oppressive layer smothering the light within him.

__

DON'T THINK OF IT! 

The order came louder than before. Legolas was desperately attempting to quash the part within him which was beginning to despair. Elves generally do not do well in captivity, in closed, confined spaces. He could not afford to wallow in his own misery at the moment; Gimli had not done so when he, Legolas, has required aide. His friendship to Gimli had to come first, and he could dwell on everything else afterwards.

His body began to shake. This was only visible sign of the battle being waged within. His jaw was clenching and unclenching in strained concentration. Slowly, Legolas managed to lift his hand, this movement was felt more than seen, but he had gained a victory in it, though he had no idea how this had been achieved. Blindly pressing his hand outwards in the direction he knew the doors to the cabinet lay, he pushed. When this accomplished nothing, pushed harder.

The small click of the doors swinging apart what perhaps the most rewarding sound Legolas had ever heard. He had done it. He had disobeyed a command. 

A rush of adrenaline allowed Legolas to awkwardly leap from the cupboard, completely devoid of his usual grace, to stand in the open. He smiled, sucking in the light to replenish his weary spirit before turning and trying to plan the next step. What was the next step? He was out, yes, but what would he do and where to go with his newly attained freedom?

In the end, the option was taken from him. One of the temples acolytes entered the room and spotting him gave a gleeful squeal. Hurrying over, the person dropped to the ground at Legolas' feet before rising and looking the elf over for injuries. "Come, exalted one. Come and I shall lead you to the High Priest!" came the excited command.

Legolas' first impulse was to deny the request, and yet his feet followed when the page left the room. What limited control he had regained seemed to have vanished with the darkness. He was mindlessly obeying once again.

In his mind, Legolas screeched in a very un-elf-like scream of frustration.

~*~

Addrodoc paced restlessly up the length of the main chamber and then back down it. Beads of perspiration had formed along the hair line of his scalp, his temples and the back of his neck, but he ignored the stifling heat and his frayed nerves in favour of the utter rage carousing through his body. How could this have happened! He wanted to scream, to beat his fists against something (mainly the dwarf) and stamp his feet against the stone. Yet one did not rise to a position of head priest, and one of the village elders of the community, with such pointless displays of emotional incontinence so he kept his raw fury more or less buried.

Around him his acolytes shifted nervously. They were weak Addrodoc decided. The uncertainty plaguing their eyes imitated the already frayed nerves of the priest. This village seemed determined to make each step of their redemption difficult, questioning his every command, and struggling to understand and interpret what the God's had chosen to impart to him. They questioned the necessity of killing the elf - they did not see that it was crucial, vital even, that they do so. How could they be so blind!

Rubbing wearily at his temple, Addrodoc sighed deeply. He had never felt so old or worn. He wished, even momentarily, that there was someone here he could rely on during this lapse of strength. Someone who would help him reach this noble and essential goal - and yet there was none he would trust fully. Their eyes, beady, passive, and pleading watched him, simultaneously judging him while also begging for his aide. Little lost sheep, that's what they were, and Addrodoc was their Shepard. He had been sent to see them safely from the pastures into the warmth and security of the barn. It was a heavy burden to bear, and now thanks to the deformed gnome everything was in jeopardy!

Grinding his teeth together, Addrodoc forced his feet to stop their pointless movements. He had to be stronger than this. He had to gather himself up and project a more confident air. Addrodoc, realized that if others saw his doubt, they would crumble. They were not strong enough to handle such pressures. No - for the sake of his people he would have to be strong, now more then ever.

Where was the elf? The question plagued Addrodoc. On first hearing the dwarf's boastful claim of the elf's escape, he had been certain that the hateful creature, that affront to the gods, had been lying. Yet they had searched the temple, all its rooms and chambers, and had not found a trace of the elf. Obviously there had been some truth behind the dwarf's words, but Addrodoc still sensed that this was all merely a bluff, a delaying tactic.

Things were rapidly spiralling out of control. The loss of power made Addrodoc feel desperate, a tension mounting in him that would provoke him into a rashness normally absent in his character. He could not fail; the Gods would not tolerate failure. He was their speaker, their hope!

"Lord," a tentative voice squeaked, making Addrodoc pivot on his heal sharply to glare at the person who spoke. "What of the dwarf?" The question was asked in a mere whisper, but even at such a soft tone it was enough to enrage the human priest.

Striding quickly over to the now cowering boy, whose blond hair stood up on end and spattered in every direction, Addrodoc slapped with violent force. The stinging sound of rough palm hitting the soft flesh of a cheek reverberated around the room. "Rulif, isn't it?" Addrodoc asked in a dangerous tone as recognition began to wash over him as he observed the cowering child.

Sniffing back tears from unusually large eyes, the boy nodded, obviously too afraid to make a sound. "Well, boy," scoffed Addrodoc, "never, ever mention that insidious creature to me again. I will not have the walls of my temple profaned with its mention! You are not even a servant of this temple - why do you lurk around here? Get back to your horse field and your sinful parents or be silent."

Rulif, chewing on his bottom lip, attempted to gather his courage. "He... he was nice to me. Kind and all. I... that is... I don't want him to be hurt." The bravery and selflessness of the child would have touched Gimli, had the dwarf been present, but all the child got in return for his pains was another sharp slap. 

"Remember your place! Do not address your elders thus!" came the sharp, cold and callous command. The courage that Rulif had managed to accumulate melted in the face of the stern figure he confronted. Defeated, he nodded, his eyes blurring with tears as he backed away submissively.

"Lord!" a new call came as one of the temple's servants swept into the room herding Legolas towards him. Addrodoc stood still with shock for a moment before sweeping joyously across the room - relief flooding into every limb.

His hands came up to hold Legolas's shoulders, and their grip was almost painful with the strength of the hold. The human priest beamed, nodding his head up and down. "We have been so worried for your safety, esteemed lord," he cooed softly. The sickly sweet tone in his voice made the elf in question want to wrench.

Addrodoc turned quickly and went to his work bench. The light he detected in Legolas' eyes, and the sheer power it revealed, sent a shiver of fear creeping down the priest's spine; this required immediate attention. Addrodoc poured a glass full of the drugged amber liquid from the flask on his workbench, brought it quickly over to the elf, raised it to his lips, and forced him to drink its contents or become drenched. 

Legolas swallowed quickly, trying to step back; he was practically drowned by the assault, but Addrodoc's free hand reached out and grabbed the back of his neck holding him firmly in place. Not till every last drop was gone, and Legolas was left panting for the air he had been deprived of while drinking, did Addrodoc look satisfied.

"Nothing has changed," Addrodoc barked at the wide-eyed onlookers. "Make sure all is in readiness for the ceremony. It is already afternoon, and the gods do not grant us much more time." Those present were quick to disperse, fleeing the room to go about their respective duties with a frenzied proficiency driven and motivated by fear.

"You," Addrodoc whispered quietly, turning once again to face Legolas. "You have lead us on quite the chase." His hands snaked forward to stop the elf from backing away once again, one hand grabbing Legolas' upper arm and the other resting on a soft cheek. "I almost feared that I had lost you."

"Where... is... Gimli?" Legolas ground out through his constricted throat, each word was a battle to form.

"He is my safety net now. I had a feeling you would not abandon him. You will obey. You will play the part you were born to play, or, your_ dwarf_," the word emerged from the human's lips with a disdainful sneer, "will be made to suffer."

Legolas glared, though he was feeling sluggish and light-headed. Something strange was happening, and the elf was not sure he understood what it was. He had just ingested the priest's concoction and yet... yet he was not feeling as influenced by it as he normally did. He was feeling stiff, achy and hardly himself but the darkness did not swirl forward this time to chain him more tightly within his own body. His own consciousness still felt as though it could fight. An encouraging realization.

He was feeling a sense of nausea as well, and when the cup had touched his lips there had been a part of him that had felt almost desperate to have the drink. He craved it even now. The taste, the flavour... pushing aside such thoughts Legolas gasped. Where had such a longing come from? 

__

Focus, he instructed himself, _you must help Gimli now._ Breaking eye contact with the insane priest landed Legolas' eyes on something else all together. Behind Addrodoc, merged with the shadows of the far wall and almost hidden behind a large flower pot, crouched a young boy whose eyes were glaring and cheeks were tear-streaked. The child scowled at the human priest with loathing, absolute loathing.

Realising he was being watched, the child jerked, his head shooting up to look at Legolas and his eyes adopting a scared tint. The elf wished he could reassure the child, but his voice was not his own and before he could work on forming the words, the boy sprang up and silently fled the room leaving Legolas alone.

~*~

The afternoon passed too quickly for Legolas' liking. The patch of sun that shone through the window panes above moved steadily across the room until it became only a mere sliver of what it had been. Its progress mocked Legolas. The elf was caged within himself, some of his commands being obeyed while others were utterly rejected. 

Addrodoc would pop in from time to time, forcing more of the drink into the elf, yet Legolas was struck by the lack of its effects. Its taste seemed dulled, and served only as a dim reminder of the full force the drink had once wielded. His body was behaving strangely as well. It was going through episodes of tremors that would wrack through him, leaving him feeling simultaneously cold and hot. His mouth watered as it begged for more of the drugs Addrodoc had forced into him and his mind snarled with frustration.

He did NOT have time for this. Such assertions did little to change the situation.

He strained his ears, trying to catch words that might reveal the fate of the dwarf to him, yet no one seemed to be discussing the dwarf. His vanishing seemed to be taken in silence; those who watched Legolas remained mute and uncurious. It did not bode well and Legolas dreaded what might be befalling Gimli at this moment - that was if he were still alive to experience anything.

Addrodoc came waltzing in once again, looking far too pleased with himself for Legolas' liking. Smiling and sweeping his gaze around the room to make sure all was in order, the priest supervised everything with a cockiness that made Legolas grind his teeth together. "I shall be back within the hour to escort our most honoured lord to the dais outside. Stay with him until then, he instructed the two guards who had had Legolas's charge throughout the day. 

The human priest paused before leaving the room. He turned and came over to Legolas, bringing their faces close together and speaking with a lowered voice ensuring no one would overhear.

"You both out up a good struggle. Destiny cannot be denied though. We all have our roles to play and yours, my friend, has come to an end. Take peace knowing that it has served a purpose. Many leave this life behind without having impacted anything."

"You are insane," Legolas hissed back, his own anger giving his voice the necessary push to overcome his leaden body. "My fate is mine alone to command, and for you to think you hold any sway over it shows how little you truly know. I am of the firstborn of this world. My light shall never perish no matter what you might try to do to it. You have no real power over me, if you did you would not require drugs to sedate me."

Addrodoc looked unmoved by the tone or words Legolas employed. If anything, the elf swore he looked at him with something akin to pity. "You are so perfect," he whispered quietly. "What an honour I have been granted in performing this sacrifice." His hand came forward and stroked Legolas' face and the elf refused to flinch away from the touch, instead settling for glaring. "Goodbye Legolas," Addrodoc continued. "It will all be over soon and there is no shame in being afraid."

Not granting the elf the chance to retort, Addrodoc straightened and left.

Legolas fumed. He had not meant to allow the human to see his fear, had not even thought he had done so. It nagged him to have allowed an enemy the chance to see his emotions, usually so guarded and restrained. 

So focussed was he on once again fighting with himself, that he did not notice Rulif enter carrying two goblets of wine. All the elf knew was that when he looked up the guards were already draining their glasses, heads tilted back. Rulif stared straight at him and Legolas knew then, as he looked into the boy's eyes, that he had an ally.

It happened remarkably quickly given that the child could not have had much time to plan. The dull thuds of the guards bodies hit the ground hard, before silence descended. 

"Not dead. They are not dead." Rulif seemed to be as shocked by his involvement as Legolas himself was. The child was bruised by abuse he had suffered earlier under the priest's hand, and if possible his hair seemed to be in even a greater state of disarray. The child floundered for words for a moment before he once again met Legolas' eye. "What my village is doing, what Addrodoc is, is wrong."

The statement made Legolas smile. The child had a quiet strength in him that amazed the elf. Nothing he could say would ever be enough.

Rulif, however, continued speaking. "My village is not bad. My people are not cruel. They are just confused and desperate." The words came out very fast and almost slurred together, but their simplicity and elegance still made them powerful.

"I know," Legolas said, and it surprised him, for he did know. Looking into the eyes of this child, he momentarily wondered how he could have ever doubted it. Rulif smiled tentatively, before his grin blossomed into a toothy, lopsided expression of pure joy.

"Follow me! Follow me, great and forgiving lord! I will show you to the dwarf! This way, this way now!" Legolas slipped eagerly to his feet, forcing them to move though the actions were leaden, heavy and awkward. He strove to keep pace with the bounding child in front of him who wove with enviable ease through the winding passageways, hopping this way and that and occasionally slipping to the ground in clumsiness. The child was a sight to behold.

"This door. Yep, right here!" he whispered as he finally came to a stop, his arm outstretched and his finger pointing at the door in almost an accusing manner. Legolas smiled at the child. 

"Thank-you for all your help, my young friend. You have done much for my friend and I. You should leave here now. I do not wish you to become any more involved or injured as a result of your kindness. Do you understand me?" Legolas asked, having knelt in front of the child so that he was speaking to him on eye level. 

The boy frowned before nodding a hesitant yes. Legolas patted his head before rising and reaching out to grasp the door that would lead him to Gimli. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door as quietly as he could.

What he saw inside made his heart nearly stop. The dwarf was tied to a chair, his head drooped onto his chest and his breath coming out in raged pants. He was bruised, and blood had soaked into the rope bindings that held him. He looked a mess and Legolas felt a stab of guilt that he should be responsible for the dwarf's suffering. Yet Gimli's appearance was not what made Legolas freeze in horror, it was the presence of Addrodoc himself. The human's hand was clutching a knife, Legolas' own knife, and approaching the dwarf with dangerous intent. 

The human's voice was soft but filled with malice as he spoke, "...and yet you failed," was the first part of the interrupted dialogue Legolas heard as he slunk quietly across the floor. "The elf is MINE. To think that you could have stopped me is laughable. He will be given to the Gods at sun set but you... you shall be given to the Gods now." As the word was spoken the knife descended, and Legolas lunged forwards, abandoning any stealth he had been employing, for haste.

Just before the elven blade sunk into the dwarf, Legolas' hand closed around Addrodoc's wrist, wrenching the human's hand away from its target with all the strength left he possessed.

Gimli jerked at the sudden arrival of the elf, though he was still bound too tightly to move far. He let himself release a shaky breath of relief. Only a moment ago he had been sure he would be returning to the halls Aulë and his ancient kin, his life among the living over. Snapping his attention back up to the human and the elf, Gimli struggled anew in an attempt to gain his freedom.

Legolas wrenched the blade from Addrodoc swiftly, amazed with how comforting it felt to once again have its familiar presence clutched in his palm. Breaking quickly away from the priest while he still had the benefit of surprise working for him, he placed himself protectively between the dwarf and the human, amazed that the simple manoeuver seemed to have winded him.

Addrodoc blinked, seeming puzzled by the sudden change in the situation. One moment he had been about to enjoy destroying the blasphemy and mockery of creation that was the dwarf, and the next moment he was unarmed facing a flushed but angered looking elf. Finally dismissing the logistics of how such a thing had happened in favour of simply dealing with it, Addrodoc smiled.

"Legolas," he said, purposefully keeping his voice soft and gentle, hypnotic. "We were just speaking of you. You are not strong enough to hold that dagger yet though. It is heavy, like solid stone..."

"Stop!" Legolas snapped, his wrist and arm shaking under the strain now of holding the blade which seemed to have multiplied in weight. "No tricks. I am through with them. No more illusions and no more commands."

Addrodoc frowned. The elf seemed to have overcome effects of the drug, and it came as yet another unpleasant shock to the priest. "Drop it Legolas," he ordered simply, but in a tone that most people would wish to obey.

The elf struggled, the conflict playing itself out across his face. His hand was shaking wildly now, his fingers loosening in their grip until the knife fell with a clatter to the ground. Legolas sucked in a deep breath of air, trying vainly to not feel frustrated at the loss of the weapon.

Addrodoc stepped forward slowly, walking toward the elf, determined to take advantage of the moment of weakness he had elicited. "You are tired, my lord. The strains of the past few days are confusing you," he coed. "I know it is hard to trust."

For each step towards him Legolas matched the movement with a step backwards. Steering both him and the priest away from the dwarf. Legolas hated the feeling of helplessness and despair that clung to him, the weakness that he projected, but he was incapable of doing anything except fleeing from Addrodoc's approach.

"You are feeling lost. You need not feel so, lord. I would not let you go astray, but you must trust me if I am to protect you. The Gods have chosen you..."

"Daro (stop)!" Legolas whispered, his voice as unstable and shaky as the rest of him. Addrodoc ignored the plea and continued soothingly.

"The drug... you miss its warmth. It gave you such certainty, such purpose, and now it is gone. I can see that you long for it. It is written in your face, the shaking of your body, in your dilated pupils. Can you deny that you long for it?"

The weakness was hit, and Legolas knew it. He did long for more. He was willing to do anything to make that longing cease. His voice was beyond him now. He merely nodded.

"Lad, don't listen to him," Gimli's voice shot out, strained, panting, and laced with pain. The dwarf. Legolas had almost forgotten Gimli was there. He tried to focus on the dwarf, tried to push the caress of Addrodoc's voice from his head, but it was so difficult. When the elf's back hit a wall he felt the urge to panic outright.

Addrodoc smiled. Reaching into the depth of one large sleeve, he withdrew another small dagger. Standing close to the elf he brought the knife to Legolas' throat, pressing it into the small bump of his Adam's apple, and watching the small drip of blood that emerged as a result. "Your life force will give us ours back," he whispered in awe as he watched this single trickle of blood work its way down Legolas' throat until it hit the material of his shirt and was absorbed into the white material. "So much power lies in you."

Legolas wanted to pull away, wanted to fight and yet he remained still. His eyes darted back over to Gimli, who watched the pair tensely his mouth open in a soundless protest. The dwarf met his gaze, and Legolas read the silent pleading in his eyes. A slight movement caught him by surprise and he was once again shocked to see Rulif entering the room quietly. The boy's face was drawn into a look of utter concentration and determination. At first Legolas thought the boy was going to Gimli, but then he realized that was not the case. The boy was going for the knife Legolas had dropped.

As Addrodoc made several other small puncture marks along his throat and jaw line, Legolas merely watched detached as Rulif took hold of the dagger. His small fingers grasping the hilt before he stood straight.

"...You who are so perfect. You have so much to give us," Addrodoc continued, whispering though Legolas was now only vaguely aware of his words. Gimli too was watching the boy. "I will make you truly immortal. Frame you with the Gods in heaven. There is no need to fear."

"Yes, there is." Legolas said simply, snapping his attention back to the insane priest. "For power is a fickle thing, unpredictable. This is not right. Killing me, killing Gimli will solve none of your people's problems. Back away from it now or it will ruin you," Legolas requested softly.

Addrodoc smiled. "You, you who have control of nothing tell me this." He smirked. "You have no gift of foresight! I have the Gods on my side! I cannot lose!" and with this being said he turned, raising his knife to throw it at Gimli. Such was his shock when he saw the ivory-white elven blade flying though the air towards Legolas' outreached hand, that he ended up impaling himself on the blade as he flung himself around with the intention of confiscating it. His mouth open in a silent yell of denial, Addrodoc looked first at Legolas and then down at the knife that was embedded in his stomach. "It was not my time," Addrodoc croaked before he slumped forward into Legolas, his eyes glazing over as he died.

Legolas shook his head, his eyes closing as the realization that it was over hit him. Pulling his blade free he let the dead body fall to the ground. It was such a waste. The whole thing had been so pointless and unnecessary. Kneeling down next to the human, Legolas reached out and closed his eyes. "I failed you somehow," he spoke quietly. "I wish I could have given you hope of a different nature."

Standing once again he went over to Gimli, cutting the dwarf's bonds quickly. "I am sorry, mellon." The words were so inadequate, and Legolas, despite it all, was still shaking due to unpleasant addition he had formed from the drug.

"I know." Gimli replied, grasping Legolas' arm in warrior's greeting. Smiling reassuringly at him. Then the pair both turned their eyes on Rulif who was still staring at Addrodoc. 

"I know you told me to go, but I could not!" he explained. 

Legolas went to the boy. "I am glad you did not for I was in need of help, but I wish I could have spared you that. You are to young to see such things," the remorse in the elf's voice was genuine and deep.

The boy nodded. "We must get you safely from here. Come with me." 

So it was under the hoods of temple officials that Rulif lead them from the temple into the fresh air. He took them quickly to Arod's pen, his lanky frame having acquired a solemn grace to it that came with age and experience. He had left his childhood behind in the room with the dead priest and it pained Legolas to know that in a way he was as responsible for that as Addrodoc.

Some things were to easy too lose.

Soft words were spoken of parting and farewell. Both dwarf and elf had serious misgivings about leaving the boy in the village, but Rulif had assured them that he would be well and had no desire to flee with them. Mounting the horse quickly, the pair left the village as the sun set over the trees in the distance. Both were plagued by a sense of failure although they both still lived.

"Silence does not become you elf," Gimli said quietly; his first words spoken directly to Legolas since leaving the temple.

"No, I suppose it does not. Yet my thoughts keep me otherwise engaged."

"Ah," Gimli grumbled. "Well do not dwell in that airy head of yours for too long, lest it have some permanent effect upon you. Better yet to talk to me so that I might teach you some of the sturdy sense of the dwarves."

As the last light was extinguished besides that of the stars, Legolas laughed softly. Momentarily he reached down and squeezed one of Gimli's hands that rested on his own stomach from where the dwarf held tight to him. "Teach away, oh wise and noble dwarf, for I am all curiosity as to what you would describe as dwarven sense. I have yet to see you display such traits, but if you do possess them then by all means enlighten me."

The dwarf snorted and the familiar patterns of healing and recovery began.

Reviewer Responses: 

MOST REVIEWS EVER FOR A SINGLE CHAPTER! THANK-YOU SO MUCH!

HalandLeg4ever ~ LOL. Well some of your guesses became true in this chapter. Poor Gimli, he had to try though and it was not his fault that the doors would not open. As for Legolas… well he has never been the obedient kind so staying in a closet would be out of the question, lol.

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Star-Stallion ~ LOL… I know. Bad me! I left you for almost 2 and a half weeks without an update. It was evil. Sometimes real life just won't give me writing time though! How pathetic was that excuse, lol. I am glad it got you so excited when you realized I had updated though. I gives me a plot of pleasure to know that I have people waiting upon my reviews! LOL. There was still a chapter to go and there was no way I was letting them slip away – not when I could have a much more dramatic escape, lol. Thanks again for all your support.

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Karri ~ Yes, they got Gimli! You didn't really think I would let them slip away, did you? I am way to evil to have let it be *that* simple. Anyway – this chapter will hopefully alleviate the majority of your concerns. Your story is coming along slowly, eh? Well that just means more reviews might inspire you to write faster, lol. As soon as I am done my mid-years I am going to read it… and vignette's are always good! I love your vignette's so by all means – keep posting them!

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Rosie ~ Yeah, poor Gimli. We all have to give him full points for trying, lol. Could not have been easy for the little guy. Oh yes and Addrodoc is evil… there is no question about it. Thanks for wishing me good luck. I have my biological anthropology exam in 1 hour and I am writing my responses now to calm me down before my ride arrives to take me to school. The key is not to panic, lol. Anyway – thanks for your review and sorry for my ramble.

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Tinnuial ~ Glad you got a kick of Gimli wearing a toga! I thought it was funny too. I mean I had to come up with a disguise for him so that he would look the part of a "servant for the god" role and a toga popped into my head, lol. Glad your are enjoying it and I hope this chapter does not disappoint you!

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Nikki1 ~ LOL. Yeah! I loved the mental image too, lol. It is definitely something you do not see everyday! Yeah I had to make Legolas sort of be himself if even for a moment just so people will realize how far he had fallen. At first I was not sure if people were even realizing he was changing so I think it is important that I underline what the drug has done so people can see now. Sorry to have dashed your hopes… but this chapter will make up for it… I once again returned to Legolas' point of view so it probably cleared up a lot.

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Sirithiliel ~ Good for you for taking part in a play. I have done that before and it is a time consuming task. What musical are you doing? I love musicals and so far I have seen Oliver, The Fantastics and The Lion King performed live... Cannot get enough of them! My favorite one is Les Miserables though! You never come on MSN anymore. I have read the Fading Hope chapter and I really liked it – thanks so much for doing it. I am definitely going to use it as a model when I start writing. I have just decided to finish this story first since it is almost done and then return to my original story.

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WhiteWolf ~ LOL. Glad you got a kick out of Gimli's disguise. I had fun writing that scene just because I had such a vivid picture of it in my head. I am glad you liked Legolas and Gimli's dialogue together. I have fun trying to think how they would speak to each other and keeping their comments witty and funny. Glad you got a kick out of Gimli's final solution as well! I am so pleased you are enjoying this… It makes me happy to know I can repay you for the hours of entertainment you have provided me with your story 'The Wrong Path'. ^_^

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LalaithoftheBruinen ~ Yeah – poor Gimli… I have been putting his through a lot recently between an elf who thinks himself a god, a toga, and a town full of religious fanatics. Still though… for a dwarf he is doing all right for himself, lol. Thanks for the good luck wishes and the plot bunnies.

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Bookworm2000 ~ LOL. Romans… that is true. I remember my sister forcing me to watch all 14 hours of "I Claudius" (I think I spelled that right) and watching the toga/robe things they wore. They looked so comfortable, lol. Well I hope you liked how the conflict of this chapter ended… no more cliffies really – only an epilogue. It has been fun writing this story. Again thanks for the chapter title… it fit in perfectly and was much wittier then what I had thought up, lol. I agree totally with you as well. Nothing like analyzing people and their motives to truly appreciate how they function. Thanks for your continued support.

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Jamie ~ I am so glad you liked it and that you left me a review! I live off reviews! I hope I didn't make you wait too long for this chapter and that you enjoyed it as well! 

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bunny-luver ~ Glad the last chapter put you on your toes for this conclusion. I like building suspense… it makes stories more interesting, lol. *blush* So honored that you still think of it as the "best" you have read. I personally think it is one of the best things I have written and it is the first story I have ever manage to finish… well I suppose I should not say that until the prologue is posted… but I have never even gotten this close to an ending before. It is very exciting for me! Thanks again for your encouragement!

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Sparrow Greenleaf ~ Addrodoc has issues no longer, lol. I bet you were just dancing for joy when he kicked the bucket! *drools* Legolas… cookie… yummy. If that is not motivation to write, I don't know what is, lol!

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Lyn ~ So glad you liked it… LOL. I make mistakes like that all the time! I don't know what is wrong with me… I know they are two different words but when I am editing for some reason it never clicks in that I am using the wrong word. Ah well… I guess as long as people keep bringing it to my attention that I have made a mistake then I will eventually improve… and that is the important thing. Anyway – once again I hope you continue to read and enjoy.

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Jedi Cosmos ~ Sorry about leaving off there last chapter, lol. I love suspense and I love making you guys guess about what is coming next… makes you want to come back and keep reading, lol. Anyway – thanks for your continued support throughout this story and I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter.

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fliewatuet ~ LOL. Yes, Gimli was in a horrible mood upon awakening and Legolas did manage to escape the cupboard… eventually, lol. I was tempted to make this into 2 chapters instead of one and leave you with one final evil cliffy before the conclusion but then I decided that would be too nasty… so only the epilogue left. Thanks again for your review.

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Elfling ~ Oh my! You don't have to apologize! I know how real life and internet problems can keep you away and I too have been falling behind in my reviews… so don't worry! I understand, lol. LOL. I know… I am a complete sucker for Legolas angst. Just mention it and I start drooling! Anyway, I am glad you are still enjoying this and I eagerly await an update from you *hint, hint*! ^_^

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Artemisa ~ LOL. Too good to end, huh? Well I am determined to not make this story draw out like Fading Hope has. So this was the final chapter and there is only a short epilogue left that will hopefully be funny and fluffy. Print away, my friend, print away! LOL – thanks for waiting for me to update my other story… by the time I update it no one is going to remember what it is about. Um as to my vignette's… I think you have already reviewed them both. Just click on my name and one is called 'Namarie' and the other 'A Tale of Wet Elves and a Disgruntled Wizard'… but as I said I think you have reviewed them both already, lol. Feel free to read them again though! (^_^) LOL. Thanks for the good luck wishes… trust me I needed it!

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Eldameldo ~ Thanks so much for all your reviews! I got home and had a total of five waiting for me… it was very exciting and I was just sitting here and beaming from ear to ear looking at my total review number! I live off reviews… they get me so excited. Anyway – besides my obsession with feedback – I am glad you found this original. eLLe and I really wanted to come up with something that no one else had done before and to know we have succeeded is a great feeling! Thanks for reviewing my vignette as well and I am sorry it made you cry!

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Shlee Verde ~ Oh… thanks so much for the plot bunny. As you can see I tried to incorporate it on a minor scale in all this. I almost wish I had divided this chapter into two pieces and maybe expanded on them both… but too late now. Glad you liked the banter… it just forced its way in there, lol. I LOVE writing it. I makes me feel clever and witty, lol. I love their dialogue too and if you really want to read someone who is a master at Gimli/Legolas banter then you must read 'Thundera Tiger' if you have not already. Thanks so much for your praise and I hope you continue to enjoy!

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Niori ~ Hehehe. I am glad my 100th review was by someone I know too. I was seriously sitting at the edge of my seat just thinking, "come on, one more!". Rather pathetic but I am a review addict – so what can I say! Yes – wherever Legolas goes cheering and drooling seem destined to follow. I just it is one of the drawbacks to being an elf, lol. Well I hope you were cheering encouragement to him in this chapter because he needed all the support he could get here.

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Irish QT ~ You love the amount of detail? Well then I imagine this chapter proved to be a feast for you, lol, given that I could not stop writing. I am sorry I kept you waiting so long for this update and I wish I could get them up there faster too. Trust me when the reviews slowly stop coming in - I get panicky and HAVE to get the next chapter up there! I am such a review addict. Anyway, glad you are enjoying it and thank for the review.

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Sorry if I missed anyone! See you next week with the epilogue!


	9. Epilogue: Forging Ahead

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The end has come…

LOL. Okay now that I have infringed on the copyright laws of the Return of the King trailer I am proud to present the epilogue. This story is now officially done… the first story I have ever completed so I am very proud of it. 

To those of you who are interested in a sequel… at the moment we have not come up with one but I have left possibilities open in this story to exploit if we do want to continue with it. I want to finish up my other story (Fading Hope) first and then maybe eLLe and I will plan out another accompanying piece to this one.

THANK-YOU so much to all of you who have reviewed and also to all of you silent readers. Your support has meant a lot. So on behalf of eLLe and I here is the conclusion…

Epilogue: Forging Ahead

Rulif sat perched on the railing of the front porch of his home. The night was almost over and he should really be asleep, but after the events of the previous evening he felt it impossible to do so. 

There had been minutes of utter chaos when Addrodoc's slain body had been found. People had been completely confused and lost, denial and terror alive in their eyes. In the midst of this the boy knew he had to act quickly, and so he rapidly begin spreading the initial rumours that were now being circulated as accepted facts. 

__

Addrodoc had been killed for his sins, for manipulating the Gods will into his own, they whispered at street corners and around pints of ale in the inn. The town itself had been spared Legolas' displeasure, but the human priest who had attempted to take blood had not been so lucky. 

Things were finally settling. The villagers prayed quietly, trying to discern the moral or lesson behind the most recent acts of their deities but, for the most part, they were content with the knowledge that they themselves had not been the object of the God's fury.

The extreme tension, which had been escalating in the community for days found a release in Addrodoc's death and began to dissipate. No tears were shed.

Rulif had successfully remained unnoticed through it all. For the most part he had stood watching from a distance as conclusions were drawn. Only his mother had looked at him with a hint of suspicion in her blue eyes, but Rulif found that in the end she must have trusted his actions, for she looked away and remained silent.

Breathing deeply, the boy smiled. A certain nagging doubt yet lingered; had he done the right thing or not, but his heart always reassured him on this score - in his heart he knew he had acted rightly. Slipping nimbly from his perch, Rulif landed on the ground and stretched. Turning he walked into his home in search of his bed... he did not trip on his way in.

~*~

Legolas stood facing Arod, running his fingers through the silky main and leaning his nose gently against the velvet nose of his mount. His eyes were closed as he took in the moment of silent contemplation, his mind shifting through the past days events with confusion and regret. 

So much had happened, and the elf felt that he had learned much about himself in the process. Having lived for millennium feeling secure with his own identity, these newest revelations were somewhat unsettling. Yet life went on.

The duo had ridden through the previous night, desiring to put as much distance between themselves as the village as possible. Once Legolas began to feel secure, however, he had demanded that they stop to tend Gimli's wounds and seek rest. The dwarf had of course tried to dissuade the elf, assuring him repetitively that it would take more then a mere scratch to phase the strength of a dwarf, but Legolas had merely ignored the remarks, halting Arod and dismounting without comment.

Huffing and puffing, Gimli had eventually given in to th elf's demands realising the futility of remaining mounted given that the elf was no longer on the horse. Legolas had tended Gimli then, caring for every bruise and cut, knowing that he would never fully know what the dwarf had endured of his sake.

Gimli had honoured their blossoming friendship with his own safety. Whatever old-founded doubts that yet lingered within Legolas, ancient prejudices that had been built up over too many years, melted as he cared for the dwarf. For that moment on he knew... he knew he had forged a friendship that would dare to defy their respective culture's hostilities. A friendship that would surpass the reaches of time and race.

Once that task had been completed, despite Gimli's assurances that he was fine, the dwarf was quick to collapse into slumber. Legolas had been tempted to follow the dwarf's example but his own nagging thoughts kept him awake, standing as he was with Arod. Breathing in the approaching afternoon air, Legolas basked in the sunlight. He had been too long without it, caged behind stone. It was soothing to be back in the folds of nature's embrace.

"Are you thinking again, elf?" Gimli's punctuated snores ceased as the question was voiced.

Legolas smiled, though he did not bother to open his eyes. "Yes," he owned.

"Twice in one day? Are you sure that will not cause some sort of permanent damage?" Gimli inquired groggily.

"Some beings, myself included, have no limit to the number of thoughts we are allowed to have, master dwarf, a novelty I am sure to one such as yourself, but I assure you I speak the truth," Legolas responded merrily, his eyes opening as he spoke, bright and sparkling with mischief.

Gimli snorted. His dark eyes opening wearily, his head pitching slightly to one side. "A novelty would involve you actually forgiving yourself, for once, and not dwelling on what has passed as though weighed down with an unmanageable burden," he spoke with a light tone of voice but there was a degree of chastisement present nonetheless.

Legolas cocked an eyebrow. "What makes you think my thoughts were so engaged?"

"By the crease of your brow. It is a telling signal for when you are dwelling on something that bothers you."

Legolas blinked, rather shocked by the observation. He had not realised that his facial mannerisms so betrayed his emotions and even more shocked that Gimli (not very observant in nature) of all people had taken mark of it. "Am I so transparent?" 

Gimli sat up stiffy, looking at Legolas as the seriousness of their conversation gripped him. "No. But it would be negligent of me to not concern myself with the well-being of my friend. Do you need to speak of what troubles you?"

Touched by the gesture, Legolas smiled. "I wish I could have found a way to help that man."

Of all the things Gimli had been expecting Legolas to say, that had not been it. His mouth dropped open in shock. "Legolas! He was unstable to put it lightly. Nothing could have been done to help him. He was cruel, uncaring and self-serving. He was beyond help."

"He believed in me, or at least what he would have had me stand for. There was goodness in him, Gimli. He wanted only what was best for his people. Would I have done less had I thought it would have rid my people of the shadow, that until recently, has plagued my homeland? Would you have?"

Gimli considered this dilemma for a long moment, before answering with as much sincerity and passion as he could muster. "The ends do not justify the means, Legolas, for the simple reason that the means contribute to the end that is produced. Addrodoc did not understand that. He could not understand that tainted with the blood of the innocent no such end can be warranted."

Legolas released Arod, patting the horse and giving silent leave for the beast to go and graze. Walking over he sat gracefully near the dwarf. "You are right. I suppose it was beyond the point that I could have assisted, yet I cannot help the lingering doubts, despite dwarven wisdom."

Gimli grumbled an indistinct noise of understanding. "Well for my sanity do try and desist. You are intolerable enough when singing to the sky and whatnot, but having you moody is infinitely worst."

"Well I know a sight that would cheer my soul," Legolas responded, the mischievous glint once again returning to alight his features, but there was a calculating dimension to that gaze now that set Gimli on edge. "I believe I recall you saying that the day you called me master would be the day you shaved your beard clear off and sang to trees..."

"Now stop right there," Gimli interrupted quickly, sensing his imminent danger. "You cannot be serious!"

"Can't I?" Legolas asked sweetly, putting on the most feigned expression of innocence Gimli had ever laid eyes on.

"I... you..." a jumble of incoherent phrases began to emerge past Gimli's lips, only to trail off in utter disbelief. The dwarf's mouth opened and closed like that of a fish out of water. The sight sent Legolas into gales of laughter, the joy behind the noise contagions, making even Gimli laugh as well. 

After wiping tears of mirth from their eyes the pair stretched out under the warmth of the sun and dozed, secure in their friendship, and entertained by dreams of beardless dwarves who sang to trees...

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Reviewer Responses: (my last ones for this story! If you review this chapter I will just say thank-you here and now in advance!)

Karri ~ Thank-you for sticking with this story from beginning to end. I have really enjoyed your comments and they have meant a lot coming from such a talented writer as yourself. I will read your long story and I eagerly look forward to more of your delightful vignettes!

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Nikki1 ~ I am glad I did Legolas' internal struggle well. I wanted to make it a challenge so it was difficult to portray and I am pleased to know we succeeded. Yes, no one seems to be mourning the death of Addrodoc, lol. Thanks so much for your support and I eagerly await the update of your HP/LotR crossover fic, *hint, hint*.

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Artemisa ~ LOL. Congrats on getting the internet at home. It is so convenient to have it easily accessible. LOL. I am officially addicted to reviews so I will be posting more things so. Now that this story is done I am playing with the idea for a sequel but I also have an idea for another vignette and or course Fading Hope must be finished. You will see more writing from me soon!

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Sparrow Greenleaf ~ LOL. I am glad you were pleased by Addrodoc's death, lol. ELLe and I figured that nothing short of him dying would please you at this point and so we happily delivered. I don't blame you for getting carried away – I mean anyone who threatens Legolas at this point is in the path of rabid fan-girl stampede, lol and I include myself in that category! Thanks for the cookies!

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Gwyn ~ LOL. Don't worry about it. If I was really nice I would make up a mailing list for you guys like you were kind enough to do for me and your other reviewers… but I am lazy… very very lazy and so I understand when you don't notice I have updated. LOL. Well Addrodoc deserved sharp pointy things if anyone did! Thanks for your support throughout this story.

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Jedi Cosmos ~ LOL. I hope this snippet helped relieve some of your concerns for Rulif. I liked that kid too much to let anything bad happen to him! I am glad you liked Legolas' struggle – I had fun writing that part and I am pleased I pulled it off well!

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Rosie ~ Glad you liked the ending. I was hoping it was not too rushed as that chapter was very long and by the end I just wanted it to be over. Fading Hope will be rolling again shortly. Now that this story is done I have no excuses! I am glad to hear your writing is on a roll! I cannot wait for the next chapter since you left me with so many cliff-hangers!

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Sirithiliel ~ Ah. Sorry to hear about your computer. Having been without one for a few days I know how painful that can be. When you can email that sample chapter of Fading Hope I would appreciate it but there is no rush. I am glad you are having fun with your school's drama program. Those are great to work on and really help get you involved. LOL. Sorry that someone else killed Addrodoc but you can have the imaginary remains for a few good kicks if you would like, lol. 

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White Wolf1 ~ Glad you liked my elf angst, lol. I love writing character frustration – as morbid as that thought is. But then I am talking to you who is Queen of Legolas angst and torture, lol so maybe you will understand more then most. Well they did get away from Addrodoc in the end of the last one… Anyway thank-you for your continued support. I love having people coming back repetitively to review my stuff – there is no bigger a compliment!

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Bookworm2000 ~ Thank you so much for adding me to your favorites list! I am so flattered. When I saw that I could not stop grinning! LOL. I was going to call it 'Check Mate' or something along those lines but when I saw your review I knew that that HAD to be the chapter's title, lol, so thank-you again for letting me use it. Wow! You are brave. I have to wear clothes that don't make me stand out. I hate being looked at so I admire people who can go out on a limb and be themselves without worry. LOL. Personally of the things I have written I like my vignette 'Namarie' the best. It is perhaps on the best things I have ever written. I still cannot believe you made it all the way through Fading Hope. That story is 158 pages long at size 10 font! I am glad you enjoyed it.

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Ryuujin Dragon King ~ Welcome new reviewer! I am so pleased you liked this. I love the thought of people enjoying my writing! Glad you liked my portrayal of both the characters in this fic… it was important to me to portray them as realistically as possible! Hope you liked the epilogue!

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bunny-luver ~ Yeah, I am kind of a sucker for happy endings. For me things have to turn out all right in the end… though I have written sad stuff before too. You see I am considering a sequel so I have to keep Gimli and Legolas alive for that purpose, lol. Thanks for your review!

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Star-Stallion ~ LOL. I am glad you were happy that Addrodoc kicked the bucket, lol. I have to agree with you… that wacko priest did get everything he deserved, lol. I am sorry to tell you this, but yes, it is over. That does not mean I will not keep writing however, lol. I might even start another Legolas and Gimli friendship fic once I am done my other story. LOL. I was at a poster sale on my campus and there were so many Legolas pictures there… I could not help but think of your shrine and think it must look something like that, lol. Thanks for your wonderful support throughout this story.

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mega-gurl-x ~ I am so honored that your first LotR's review was for my story. I am glad my writing made the exception for you because I love getting reviews and encouragement! I hope you liked this chapter as well and that you like future stories by me as well.

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Shlee Verde ~ Wow. First off let me just say thank you for putting me on your favorite authors list. Every time I see that number go up in my stats area I get all excited, especially when it is one of my loyal reviews who I know has been enjoying my work for a while. Very satisfying let me tell you! LOL – you are right. Elves don't like weakness and when the weakness is coming from inside them I think they find it even worst. Ah well… Legolas could probably use a bit of having to rely on others. It will do his character good, lol. So glad you continue to enjoy the Legolas and Gimli dialogue. I really have fun writing that and it was the reason I wanted to write a fic involving that in the first place. I have read Ithilien as well and you are right she too is a master of fanfiction! As for the other author you mentioned… no I have not read them but I will have to track them down when I have a spare moment to check out their stuff – thanks for the tip! I love finding new authors that I like reading! 

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Elvensong ~ So glad you are enjoying it and thanks for leaving me the note telling me so! Hope you liked the conclusion as well.

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Sorry if I missed anyone. FF.net was doing some weird things with my reviews for this chapter, so I might not have gotten yours even if you did submit it!


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